The Lost Clan
by Splashpaw
Summary: SkyClan was always a lone Clan, with no knowledge of the other four Clans except from nursery tales.But when a terrible sickness forces the four Clans to move from the lake and go out in search for a new home, they find the lost Clan.Flamepaw must fight an old enemy at the same time while dealing with his denmate Rushpaw.
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Warriors; Erin Hunter does; however, I own the plot and the OCs.**

**A/N: Here's the sequel. Sorry I took so long in finally posting it! This is the prologue, and the prologues about the situation SkyClan's in. First I'll post the allegiances of SkyClan. Sharpclaw and Leafstar have died since Firestar and Sandstorm came. They died from green cough.**

**ALLEGIANCES**

**SKYCLAN**

**LEADER**** MAPLESTAR- dark ginger-furred she-cat with amber eyes**

**DEPUTY**** MISTYSTREAM- gray-blue tabby she-cat with blue eyes**

**MEDICINE CAT**** ECHOSONG- silver tabby she-cat with amber eyes**

**APPRENTICE, FRECKLEWISH**

**WARRIORS**** (toms, and she-cats without kits)**

**PATCHFOOT- black-and-white tom**

**PETALNOSE- pale gray she-cat**

**SAGEFUR-pale gray tom (son of Petalnose and Rainfur)**

**MINTFROST- gray tabby she-cat (daughter of Petalnose and Rainfur)**

**WASPWHISKER- gray-and-white tom**

**APPRENTICE, FROSTPAW**

**BILLYSTORM- ginger-and-white tom**

**APPRENTICE, ICEPAW**

**APPRENTICE, LEAFPAW**

**CHERRYTAIL- tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes**

**SPARROWPELT- dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes**

**SHREWTOOTH- skinny gray tom**

**APPRENTICE, LIONPAW**

**HARVEYMOON- big white tom**

**MACGEYVER - black-and-white tom**

**ROCKSHADE- black tom(Clovertail's son)**

**BOUNCEFIRE- ginger tom (Clovertail's daughter)**

**TINYCLOUD- small white she-cat(Clovertail's daughter)**

**RABBITLEAP- brown-and-white tom**

**NETTLESPLASH -tabby tom**

**CREEKFEATHER- tabby tom**

**PLUMWILLOW- tabby she-cat**

**APPRENTICES**** (more than six moons old, in training to become warriors)**

**FRECKLEWISH - mottled light brown she-cat with spotted legs**

**FROSTPAW- snow-white she-cat with ice- blue eyes, partially blind and deaf in one eye and ear**

**ICEPAW - striking white she-cat**

**LEAFPAW- light brown tabby she-cat with white paws and amber eyes**

**LIONPAW- mottled brown tabby tom**

**QUEENS**** (she-cats with or expecting kits)**

**FALLOWFERN -pale brown she-cat, expecting Hunchfoot's kits**

**CLOVERTAIL- light brown tabby she-cat with white belly and legs (expecting Patchfoot's kits)**

**ELDERS**** (warriors and queens, now retired)**

**TANGLE- old ragged tabby tom, a former loner**

**There! Done**

**Prologue**

Maplepath touched Leafstar's body once more with her muzzle. "Oh Leafstar, Leafstar, what will I do without you?" she murmured to her dead mother.

Echosong appeared beside her. "Maplepath," she mewed gently. "It's time to go." Maplepath slowly dragged herself to her paws.

"I can't believe she's dead, she was so young," she murmured.

"The Whispering Cave isn't far from here. Come on. You must receive your name and nine lives from StarClan," mewed Echosong. Maplepath nodded to her.

"You lead the way."

… …... …. …

"Touch your nose to it," Echosong ordered. Maplepath obeyed. Icy coldness gripped her, and she fell into a sleep that would give her nine lies.

Darkness surrounded her, and she blinked her eyes a slit. Instantly they flew wide with shock. The cave had turned into a meadow.

_But where are StarClan? _Maplepath wondered. She waited. The stars above had vanished now, and she looked around. Ranks of StarClan warriors stood before her, and she padded forward to greet them.

"Leafstar!" She pressed her muzzle into her mother's fur. Her mother purred, then pulled away.

"Maplepath, are you ready to receive your nine lives?" she asked.

"Yes," Maplepath breathed.

Rainfur stepped from the group and leaned forward to touch noses with her. Maplepath stepped forward eagerly, unprepared for the agonizing life that would surge through it.

"With this life I give you courage. Use it well to defend your Clan.," he meowed. Maplepath bit back her yowl of pain as the energy flowed through her. When the life was over, she swayed unsteadily on her paws, and dismay filled her. If that was one life, she still had to bear eight more.

A black she-cat with striking blue eyes and a gray tail-tip plodded up to Maplepath. Maplepath tried to remember her name but she couldn't.

"Ravenwing," Echosong greeted her. Maplepath looked harder at her and realized she was right, no wonder she didn't recognize her. This was the younger and healthy Ravenwing, no longer frail and old.

"With this life I give you justice. Use it well to judge the actions of others, she meowed formally.

Maplepath convulsed viciously; she was aware of Echosong staring at her helplessly. This time she recovered more quickly but the pain was worse. A mottled brown tom padded over to her.

"Thornfur!" Echosong cried out helplessly to her littermate. He shot her a disapproving look and touched noses with Maplepath. Maplepath braced herself for the agony that would come from the life.

"With this life I give you loyalty to which you believe to be right. Use it well to guide your Clan in times of trouble." Maplepath shook, however not as much as she had in her previous lives, and she also recovered sooner.

Ashclaw stepped from the group. "With this life I give you tireless energy. Use it well to carry out the duties of a leader," he meowed, flicking his tail against Maplepath's flank. Maplepath felt pain, yet it seemed to strengthen her, and she stood up straighter.

"Mother," she whispered. Leafstar dipped her head and pressed her muzzle against Maplepath's. She pressed against her mother, never wanting to let go.

"With this life I give you protection. Use it well to care for your Clan as a mother cares for her kits." Agonizing pain shot through Maplepath, and she had to dig her claws into the ground to keep herself steady. Leafstar pressed her muzzle into Maplepath's fur a moment after she finished giving Maplepath her fifth life, then stepped back as a different cat -or kit, actually- took her place.

"Oh, Darkkit, Darkkit, I've missed you so much," Maplepath cooed to her kit. The little dark tabby kit pressed her muzzle against Maplepath's.

"With this life I give you compassion; use it well for the elders of your Clan and all cats weaker than you," her kit squeaked as she touched Maplepath with her muzzle. Maplepath closed her eyes, wanting to drink up every drop of the sixth life that flowed into her body. Darkkit moved back and Maplepath felt her eyes cloud with sadness as her only kit disappeared into the ranks of StarClan.

A dark gray tom replaced her kit. It was the father, Thistlefang. Echosong's eyes stretched wide with surprise as he touched noses with Maplepath.

"With this life I give you love," he meowed. "Use it well for the cats in your care." Maplepath leaned forward hesitantly, and felt as f the agonizing pain had ripped her open; and for a moment she feared she would fall into the sky.

Finally the life was finished, and she touched noses with her mate until at last he stepped back and was replaced by a gray tom with white splotches.

"Maplepath," he greeted her. She stared at him confused.

"I am Cloudstar," he meowed. "I was the leader before Leafstar." He flicked his tail at her flank, and she prepared herself for the agonizing pain that would soon follow.

"With this life I give you nobility. Use it well to lead your Clan in the ways of the warrior code," he meowed. Maplepath clawed the ground furiously in the pain she was in. Echosong stared at her helplessly as the eighth life surged through her body.

A new cat padded forward, a black she-cat stepped forward. "I am Weedfur," she mewed.

Flicking her tail at Maplepath, she meowed," With this life I give you nobility, certainty, and faith. Use it to lead your Clan in the ways of StarClan and the warrior code,' she meowed.

Leafstar rested her tail-tip on Maplepath's shoulder. "I hail you by your new name, Maplestar. Our old life is no more. You now have the nine lives of a leader, and StarClan grants you the guardianship of SkyClan. Guard it well, defend it well, care for young and old, honor your ancestors and the warrior code. Live each life with pride and dignity."

"Maplestar, Maplestar!" the StarClan cats cheered. Maplestar's paws itched to get to her Clan and sleep in the warriors' den, but she knew as Clan leader she couldn't do that. She had to name the new deputy…

"Maplestar, Maplestar! Wake up!" Echosong mewed; Maplestar jerked unsteadily to her paws.

"What-"

"You've got to name the new deputy before"- she looked up at the sky- "Now!" she cried and Maplestar hurried after her, disturbed by her tone.

… ….. ….. … …

Maplestar hurried through the barrier, her pelt ruffled. "Let all cats old enough to climb trees gather beneath the Rock Tumble for a Clan meeting," she called. Already the cats had gathered and she began to speak. "Cats of SkyClan, I grieve for Sharpclaw and Leafstar as much as any of you, but I cannot leave SkyClan without a deputy. I say these words before the bodies of Sharpclaw and Leafstar, so that their spirits may hear and approve my choice: Mistystream will be the new deputy of SkyClan."

"Mistystream, Mistystream," chanted the Clan. Maplestar clawed her way down the tree, wanting nothing more than a refreshing sleep.

**A/N: Hey guys, whyy didn't you tell me about the mistake called, (she-cats expecting of nursing kits)? LOL**


	2. Chapter 2

**Ok, I don't have any school today, so I decided to type the next chapter early. I like writing, so it's not really a big deal.**

**Um.. short.. but I have no excuse…**

**Reviews****:**

**The Song of the Felines: yeah, I was thinking of using Maplestar's POV for SkyClan. Thank you for your great care for my story!**

**feathersky1357: Thank you! **

**Okay..**

**Spottedleaf's POV:**

Spottedpaw woke up to find cold air around her muzzle. Her fur bristled uneasily. Only a few moons after Raggedtail's death and the rogues had left the territory, ThunderClan's cats had been falling ill. She was not surprised; it was leaf-bare after all, but this sickness seemed impossible too fight. Unease prickled under her fur; every cat who had got the sickness had died. Dewfrost had died two sunrises ago. The shock of his death still gripped the Clan.

"Jayfeather?" she meowed. "I'm awake."

Her blind mentor stuck his nose in through the den. "I'm staying home," he announced. "You can go to the Moonpool alone tonight. It's too dangerous to leave ThunderClan without a medicine cat."

Spottedpaw nodded, but her ears twitched nervously. If Jayfeather was unwilling to go to the Moonpool with her, the sickness must be _really_ bad. "Okay," she mewed aloud.

Jayfeather nodded wearily and slipped back through the bramble screen. Spottedpaw padded out of the den and towards the thorn barrier.

… ….. …. …

"Sorrelpaw!" she greeted Littlecloud's apprentice. The dark gray she-cat acknowledged her greeting with a nod. "What's wrong?" she asked. Surely the sickness wouldn't have spread to _ShadowClan_?

"We're fine," mewed the gray she-cat. "Come on, let's go. We don't have much time." Spottedpaw flicked her tail "Sure," she replied, scrambling through the snow up the slope.

"Have you seen Mothwing, Willowshine, or Kestrelflight and Mintleaf yet?"

The ShadowClan apprentice's mew startled her. "I haven't seen them," she responded. Sorrelpaw bristled, while Littlecloud purred with amusement before his face turned serious again.

"There they are!" Spottedpaw mewed. The RiverClan medicine cat apprentice Willowshine and the WindClan medicine cats Kestrelflight and Mintleaf bounded over to them, kicking up snow in their wake.

"Come on," puffed Mintleaf. "We're going to be late."

Spottedpaw frowned. The whole of the Clan medicine cats seemed to be acting odd. Usually the trip to the Moonpool was full of excitement. But this trip seemed divided by rivalries- or possibly, bad sickness.

"Why isn't Jayfeather with you?" Mintleaf asked. Spottedpaw picked up her pace.

"Just busy with a couple sick cats, but nothing we can't handle," she mumbled.

"ShadowClan too," Littlecloud agreed.

"And RiverClan," added Willowshine.

"WindClan as well," agreed Kestrelflight slowly.

Spottedpaw shifted her paws uncomfortably. Had the same sickness been running in the other Clans as well?

"We're here," Sorrelpaw meowed as they reached the hollow where the Moonpool lay.

"Before we share tongues with StarClan," Littlecloud meowed, "There is something I must do. It is time Sorrelpaw became a full medicine cat apprentice." he looked around at the other medicine cats. "I, Littlecloud, medicine cat of ShadowClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of a medicine cat, and with your help she will serve her clan for many moons." Sorrelpaw bristled with anticipation as he continued.

"Sorrelpaw, do you promise to uphold the ways of a medicine cat, to stand apart from rivalry between Clan and Clan and to protect all cats equally, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Sorrelpaw meowed clearly.

"Then by the powers of I give you your true name as a medicine cat. Sorrelpaw, from this moment you will be known as Sorrelleaf . StarClan honors your courage and initiative, and we welcome you as a full medicine cat of ShadowClan."

Sorrelleaf licked his shoulder.

"Sorrelleaf, Sorrelleaf!" the medicine cats called out. Spottedpaw was aware that the cheering subsided much more quickly than usual; obviously the medicine cats were in a hurry to go home. 

"Drink from the pool," Littlecloud meowed. Sorrelleaf obeyed, and it was not long before the medicine cats fell into a slumber.

Spottedpaw fell asleep almost instantly as her paws tucked underneath her. A black she-cat sat, sadness in her green gaze. Spottedpaw could see Petalkit sitting beside her, but her sister said nothing, and Spottedpaw was the first to speak.

"Hollyleaf .. Petalkit, what are you doing to us?" she asked in confusion.

"StarClan did nothing.. but you need to move.. gather the survivors and get out!" Hollyleaf spat; Spottedpaw had never seen a StarClan cat so angry.

"Should we leave now?" asked Spottedpaw, staring at the black she-cat in confusion.

"I'm sorry, Spottedpaw.. get out now, while you can!" Petalkit's mew echoed in her ear as she woke up in the real world.

Spottedpaw realized that all the medicine cats must have been told the same; they were hurrying along the path as fast as their paws could carry them.

…. ….. … ….. …

**Mapleshade's POV:**

"Jaykit is dead," Bramblestar announced. His voice was calm, but Maplepaw could see stark terror behind his eyes. Dawnkit, Rainkit, and Jaykit had been born five moons ago. Now only Rainkit and Dawnkit remained.

"Do you think we're going to die from the sickness?" whispered Featherpaw. Maplepaw shrugged. Bramblestar had delayed their warrior ceremony because of the sickness. She was sure that if Bramblestar was too worried to make them into warriors, then the sickness must be _really _bad.

"Spottedpaw's back," meowed Tigerheart .

Maplepaw hurried across the clearing to her sister. "What did StarClan say?" she asked. Spottedpaw didn't stop. "I'll tell you once I've told Bramblestar," she meowed. Maplepaw shrugged. She would find out anyway.

"Okay," she replied. "See you later."

"Thanks," Spottedpaw meowed. Maplepaw picked up a sparrow and padded into the elders' den. Purdy was telling Dawnkit and Rainkit a story. Spiderleg was half-sleeping.

".. and I was with the Upwalker yellin' like hey!.. There's a young'un with a fat bird. Drop it here, Maplepaw."

Maplepaw dipped her head and dropped the sparrow at his paws when Mistypaw settled down beside her and her brother Stonepaw.

"Darned feathers blocking the meat," Purdy muttered. "Spiderleg!"

"Spiderleg's a bit moody this morning," Stonepaw muttered, his gray fur fluffed up against the cold. "I changed his bedding this morning and when I came back just now he complained that it was too dry and prickly." Mistypaw purred with amusement.

"What about that grass that grows inside the old Twoleg nest?" she suggested. "That won't soak up any water from the ground and it's not super dry." Stonepaw nodded slowly, but not enthusiastically.

"Good idea," he muttered.

Leafpool padded into the den. "Bramblestar's just called a Clan meeting. He says he wants everyone out, even the kits and elders."

Spiderleg hauled himself to his paws. "What does Bramblestar want now?" he groaned. "It's not like things can get any worse, what, with all the snow and sickness that kills every cat it gets." Dawnkit and Rainkit padded out of the den, their fur bristling nervously.

Frostpaw and Willowpaw sat down beside them. No patrols had been sent out that day, so the clearing was full. Maplepaw thought that the sickness had distracted him from sending out the patrols.

"StarClan sent Spottedpaw a dream at the Moonpool. StarClan told her that we should get out while we can," Bramblestar meowed loudly and clearly.

"They told me to get the Clan out while we can," whispered Spottedpaw. "They sent none of the sickness."

Maplepaw shivered; the icy air seemed to bite through her fur, and suddenly it seemed colder. Mistypaw nudged her. "Wow, we're going on a journey!" she whispered. "It'll be so much fun!"

"Maybe," Frostpaw replied. Her eyes widened. "A lot of cats have died though, Mistypaw. It won't be easy."

Hollypaw shrugged. "I can't believe a some of our Clanmates are dead," she meowed. "It's so .."She trailed off. Maplepaw nodded.

Bramblestar continued. "I want a small patrol to go to each Clan and tell them ThunderClan's leaving the lake. Ask them if they want to come with us."

"I know, we can see who's sick by dividing them into two groups," Mistypaw mewed. "Sick cats, stand over there. Cats who aren't sick, stand over there."

The cats crossed the clearing, while the sick cats- not many now, since all of those who had got sick had died- stayed where they were.

"DUSTSTORM!" Sandfur shrieked at her brother. "Get over here!" Duststorm shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Sandfur. I can't, I'll just spread it." Her brother coughed violently. "You go with the Clan and find a new place to stay. I'll watch over you from StarClan." Sandfur shook her head, her eyes wide with distress. "No, Duststorm, you're coming with us, whether you like it or not."

"No!" Sandfur started towards her brother, but Cloudtail held his daughter back. She stared painfully back as her brother coughed again.

"No, Sandfur," he meowed gently. "He's sick, and if we bring him with us the rest of us will get infected.

"RiverClan!" Dawnkit's yowl brought them to their paws, scrambling towards the barrier. Rosekit was hissing, but the small patrol of RiverClan didn't even try to defend themselves. Reedwhisker was leading the patrol, but he and the rest of his Clanmates were thin, and they looked unfed and ragged.

"Bramblestar," he greeted the ThunderClan leader. "Mistystar sent us to find you. She says that she's ordering our Clan to leave because StarClan sent a warning to Willowshine."

"We're leaving too," Bramblestar meowed. "The sickness has killed every cat that it has claimed. We are not staying, it's too dangerous."

Reedwhisker nodded. "We could go see ShadowClan," he meowed. "If there are any survivors, we'll see if Blackstar wants to bring his warriors with us, and we'll go fetch what's rest of RiverClan and last we'll go to WindClan."

"Tigerheart could lead us," Dawnkit suggested. "He used to be a ShadowClan cat, and he knows the way inside his former territory."

"I'll lead," the dark tabby agreed. "We need to get everyone out of here.."

"Okay, Tigerheart, you lead," Bramblestar ordered. "Now," he added. The dark tabby tom dipped his head.

"Okay, Bramblestar," he meowed. "Can we go for them now?"

"I-" Bramblestar glanced at his nephew's worried face. "Of course," he meowed. "We'll all come." Tigerheart nodded. "Thank you."

…... ….. …

**Dawnkit's POV:**

Dawnkit followed the long trail of cats after Tigerheart, her pelt bristling. The RiverClan cats who had come seemed in a hurry to get moving. Bramblestar had announced the death of brother only moments before the RiverClan cats had arrived.

_What is going to happen to us?_ she wondered, scared. Was the sickness really so bad that it could kill every cat it claimed?

"Where are the ShadowClan patrols?" she wondered aloud.

Tigerheart glanced behind him. "Probably in their camp. If the sickness is as bad as we think it is, Blackstar will probably want all his warriors in camp."

Dawnkit shrugged. "I guess," she mumbled. Rainkit nudged her.

"Brighten up," she whispered, "now we'll get to see ShadowClan's camp." Dawnkit shrugged.

_Big deal,_ she thought. The sickness seemed much more of a problem.

"We're here," Tigerheart meowed at last. "We're in ShadowClan's camp."

Or at least, what was left of ShadowClan's camp. The queens, elders, leader, deputy and medicine cat were all huddled together.

"Bramblestar," Blackstar greeted him. "What are you in ShadowClan's camp for?"

"We are leaving the lake. We wanted to ask you if you wanted to come with us." Bramblestar meowed.

"We need no help from ThunderClan." Blackstar glared at the cats and Dawnkit's belly clenched. Couldn't Blackstar see what would happen if his Clan stayed behind they would all die?

Rainkit glanced around looking sad, but suddenly a she-cat, apparently a nursing queen, stood up and glared at Blackstar.

"You're too proud for your own good," she growled. "We'll all die if we stay here; you know that. And if we stay, even more cats will die."

Another queen nodded.

"Very well," Blackstar growled, "but where do you intend to go?" Littlecloud stood up.

"StarClan told me the same: we must leave while we can, anywhere away from here," he meowed.

Blackstar nodded. "I trust your judgment, Littlecloud." He turned to Bramblestar. "ShadowClan will go with you."

Dawnpelt raised her tail. "We should leave now!" she meowed.

"We'll wait till dawn and then go to RiverClan and WindClan to get the remaining cats," Blackstar meowed.

Squirrelflight nodded. "It is decided then. We will leave to RiverClan and WindClan at dawn!"


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Um.. I'LL TRY TO UPDATE SOONER, OKAY?!**

**Mozilla Firefox is taking ten trillion millennias to load now, so you guys have to wait longer. Haha.**

**Ok..**

**Reviews****:**

**Blue Moonshine123: 1) yeah I'll fix that as soon as I can, I'm awfully busy. School's been evil *XD* 2) thanks**

**Feathersky1357: 1) Thank you! 2) I'm not sure I just sorta added her.**

**littleflower54276408: 1)every cat who got the sickness died, that's why they have to leave. 2) no not like green cough 3) I'm not giving away anymore stuff that will give away the story. You might guess in this chapter! Haha Thanks for your interest on **

**my story! **

**Breezecloud: thanks**

**Kidzilla20: yeah but I sent the chapter about a month ago. I promise I'll try and update sooner. haha Thank you anyways :] **

**A/N: The reason I haven't updated for such a long time is I've been busy with evil school and a fanfiction I found.**

**You're going to hate me for this chapter *XD***

**Ok now I'll shut up and let you read.**

**Spottedleaf's POV:**

Spottedpaw sighed with relief as they approached RiverClan territory. They were leaving the lake now. Reedwhisker said RiverClan would be waiting to leave, so luckily they didn't have to wait. She wondered if Flamepaw had received his warrior name yet.

_Flamepaw. _The thought startled her. Had he died? She hoped the sickness hadn't claimed him. She struggled to keep up with the patrol. Frostpaw walked beside her. Spottedpaw wondered if the young apprentice had suspected a relationship with her and Flamepaw. She doubted it. Frostpaw was her friend, but Spottedpaw doubted she would pay enough attention to her to suspect a relationship.

"There they are! ShadowClan and ThunderClan are here!"

Spottedpaw whipped her head around to see a gray she-cat with black "splashes" on her fur. "Hi," she meowed casually. Looking around , she noticed Flamepaw and a few others that she recognized; the rest she didn't.

"Hi, Spottedpaw," meowed Flamepaw. Spottedpaw's belly clenched in alarm, what was he thinking, greeting her like that? He could get them both caught!

"Mistystar, Mistystar, they're here," called Duskfur.

_Her kits must have died from the sickness,_ Spottedpaw realized in alarm. They had to get out soon, or risk death of the Clans.

"Ravenpaw!"

Spottedpaw whipped her head around, surely her brother hadn't caught the sickness somehow too? _He can't have!_ She whipped around her head. Flamepaw flicked his tail at her.

"He's not sick, he was going to get sick though," he meowed. Spottedpaw looked up and stared at him.

"What do you mean?" she mewed in alarm.

Flamepaw shrugged. "That was Minnowtail yelling at him. He was going to the cats who are sick though."

Spottedpaw stared at him for a moment longer. "What-?" Suddenly blackness covered her vision and she felt cold.

"Spottedpaw?" Frostpaw's nervous mew sounded in her ears for her few conscious moments. "Spottedpaw!" Her distressed shriek sounded through the clearing as Spottedpaw fell unconscious.

"Spottedpaw.."

Spottedpaw opened her eyes. "Petalkit? What are you doing?" Confusion clouded her mind. This looked like StarClan territory but the feeling was different. The tortoiseshell she-kit looked at her.

"Are you from the Dark Forest?" Her mew came out as a whimper and she struggled to maintain it.

The tortoiseshell she-kit stared hard at her, then shook her head, looking confused. "What do you mean, Spottedpaw? I've shared dreams with you many times and you never accused me of that!" she growled. Spottedpaw bristled nervously.

"I'm asking because I've went to the Dark Forest before," she mumbled.

"I came to warn you, Spottedpaw, Flamepaw is dangerous, and you need to break your relationship with him."

Spottedpaw ducked her head. "We're just friends," she mumbled. _Maybe I can keep the relationship by lying to her,_ she thought. _Like I could lie to her, she's my sister._

"You know that isn't true," retorted Petalkit. "You've been in love with him for moons, and you need to stop."

"Well why tell me now?" Spottedpaw mumbled. "If it was so important, why tell me now, instead of moons ago?"

"I had to wait. Raggedtail was alive then and you were busy with signs about other things," Petalkit snapped, her fur bristling. "What would you do if Flamepaw died?"

_From what? The sickness?_ Spottedpaw took a step back. "That won't happen now that we're leaving," she mewed aloud.

"How do you know?" Petalkit shot back. "Silverstream and Feathertail told me all about it!"

Spottedpaw took another step back. "Okay, so she did, and even if he did die from the sickness, we'd be together in StarClan!"

"What if you fell in love with another cat? Like Graystripe and Millie? Or Crowfeather and Leafpool? Or Dovewing and Bumblestripe? Bumblestripe fell in love with Ivypool, not Dovewing! And Dovewing fell in love with Tigerheart, not Bumblestripe!" snapped Petalkit. Her voice gentled. "I'm just trying to save you from getting hurt by him," she mewed gently. Petalkit took a step forward. "Promise me you'll keep away from Flamepaw. He's dangerous!"

"I.." Spottedpaw took a step forward this time. "Okay," she mewed at last. "I promise." Petalkit broke into a purr.

"Good," she meowed. "But now, you have to tell him."

"Okay," Spottedpaw sighed. "I will."

Petalkit touched her muzzle to Spottedpaw's head. "I knew you'd make the right choice, Spottedpaw, just as long as I helped you," she purred. Spottedpaw lifted her chin in surprise, for although Petalkit had faded, her amber eyes scorched Spottedpaw's pelt.

_Amber?_ Petalkit's eyes were green! Spottedpaw flicked her tail. _It must have been a trick of the light, _she reassured herself. _It was green-yellow light, anyway.._

"Spottedpaw, are you okay?" Frostpaw's scared mew brought her to her senses. She hauled herself to her paws and blinked a couple times. The snow crunched under her paws as she fumbled around.

"I'm fine," she meowed. "I just fell unconscious. I'm okay now."

Frostpaw sighed with relief. "Okay. I'll go tell Squirrelflight," she mewed. "Oh, and we're leaving. What's left of RiverClan is coming with us."

"Okay, tell her I'm coming," Spottedpaw meowed. "I just want to do something. I'll be there." She padded over to where the apprentices where sleeping. "Flamepaw," she whispered uncomfortably. The tom lurched to his paws, fur bristling. It settled soon after he noticed her. "What do you want?" he mumbled.

"Let's go somewhere else," Spottedpaw hissed. Her fur prickled with guilt as she saw his expression._ He thinks I just want to play. Like we used to._

"Okay," he yawned, "but let's make it quick. The Clans will be leaving for WindClan soon."

…... ….. …

The two apprentices sat by a small stream that trickled down through RiverClan territory, dividing the RiverClan territory in half.

"So what was it you wanted?" he asked her, "play like we used to?" He took an affectionate swipe at her ear. Spottedpaw flinched back as Petalkit's warning echoed in her ears. She tried to hide her nerves.

_Tell him now,_ she thought, then hesitated._ No not now. How about after the last play together we'll ever have like this?_

"_You promised!" _Petalkit's meow sounded close to her ear.

_No, tell him now and get it all over with,_ she thought reluctantly. "Flamepaw," she meowed hesitantly, "We can't.. we can't meet anymore."

Flamepaw looked hard at her. "This is a joke, right," he meowed, "Right?" he mewed, louder this time. Spottedpaw looked down at her paws.

"Um.. it's not," she mewed. "I mean it..," Her heart nearly broke in two when she saw his expression.

"Wha.. What?" he meowed. "Why?"

Spottedpaw looked down at her paws, "StarClan.. told me," she mumbled. "I don't want to-"

Flamepaw bristled. "You mean we have to stop meeting because some stupid noble StarClan cat told you so?" he growled. Spottedpaw looked down, her heart plummeting. _I knew it would be like this,_ she thought unhappily.

"No- that's not like that- listen," she mewed, jumping forward. Her paws prickled uneasily as she met his gaze. "I had no choice-"

"I was that easy to throw away?" he protested. "I thought you liked me, I thought we could be more than just friends and break the warrior code.. But.. I guess not. I was wrong. Your stupid noble StarClan friend knew better than that. I guess that's why she came to you now."

Spottedpaw stared at him, her fur bristling nervously. "That stupid StarClan cat is my dead littermate for your information!" she growled back. Dismay bubbled around her as she felt the warmth between them disappear. _Petalkit, why..?_

Flamepaw lashed his tail. "Fine. I'll get over it, Spottedpaw. I didn't know you could be so heartless."

_Heartless? _Spottedpaw deliberately looked away so she could think. It was Petalkit who was heartless.. she hadn't even given it a second thought; if she truly understood she would have warned Spottedpaw earlier despite the threat of Raggedtail. Another thought slid into her mind.. what if Petalkit was right and Flamepaw was dangerous? She had heard the way he called Petalkit a stupid noble StarClan cat.. A thought pricked at her mind, but it was too frightening to think about. But even though she tried to block it out of her head, the thought still lingered there.

_Could it be true? Is Flamepaw being trained by a Dark Forest cat?_

She had been so caught up in her thoughts she nearly jumped when Flamepaw stormed off back to where the Clan cats were waiting.

"_Well done Spottedpaw!" _Petalkit purred in her ear. _"I knew you would listen to me over that fishy RiverClan cat."_ Spottedpaw shrugged.

"Yeah Petalkit," she mewed softly. "Can you tell me _why_ Flamepaw is dangerous? What makes him dangerous?"

Petalkit leaned toward her, and Spottedpaw backed off, disgusted by the smell. _What did you eat, Dark Forest crowfood?_ she thought. Her sister's sweet smell had disappeared..to become a foul crowfood smell.

"_I'll visit you whenever I need to warn you,"_ Petalkit whispered. _"Goodbye, Spottedpaw."_

Spottedpaw clamped her jaws shut. "No, Petalkit, leave it to the others, they're wiser than you.." With that, she raced in the direction the Clans had taken.

**Maplestar's POV:**

Maplestar clawed at the air, her ears pinned down to her head as she listened to the screech of cats. _I don't think I'll feel rested in the morning, when I wake up,_ she thought, stretching.

"Greetings, Maplestar," mewed a dark tabby tom. Maplestar stared at him. His face was scarred and so was his pelt, but there were so many she couldn't count them.

"I want to sleep," she growled, and turned her head away. He paced in circles, his tail lashing the hard baked earth.

"I just came to offer you some training, since you're not going to be able to sleep," he meowed.

"Darkclaw?" The tom frowned, but Maplestar had already hauled herself to her paws. "I'm not here to inform you about my history, and no, that is not my name," he growled. "Besides, I've noticed that you need help with your training. You're supposed to be a great fighter, not one that all the apprentices can beat," he added.

"They.."_ They can't, but learn some good moves anyway, what's the harm? _"Okay," she meowed. _It's not like I'll get any sleep anyway,_ she decided. _I might as well learn some good moves. _

… ….. ….. … …. … ….

"Better," the tom meowed. "Just work on it."

After a few more tries, he meowed., "Good. We'll do some more moves tomorrow, Maplestar."

As she turned to go, he flicked his tail. "Wait," he meowed, "don't you want to know my name?"

She nodded. "What is it?"

"My name is Raggedtail."

**A/N: Yeah it's a cliffie! Admit it, you thought I was going to post what happens when they go to WindClan too! Haha! But before I sign off, when you post your review, say what you like, but try to answer these questions when you do:**

**1. Why would Petalkit come to Spottedpaw now, while she should be worried about the sickness?**

**2. Why would Petalkit warn Spottedpaw of Flamepaw now, instead of when Raggedtail was alive?**

**3. Why would Flamepaw start laughing about StarClan now, why not before?**

**4. What could Raggedtail possibly do now?**


	4. Chapter 4

**I wrote the last chapter at 2:00 in the morning, so my mind was really foggy at that time and I didn't pay attention to what I was writing.. It's no wonder why you all guessed what happened.**

**It will take me longer to update now, because my computer won't do copy-and-paste, and I have to replace Chapter 1, because as Blue Moonshine123 pointed out, Frecklenose's name is Frecklewish. I didn't know, because I only read the allegiances from online, and the place I read it from didn't have Frecklewish's full name. So please don't kill me if it takes me a long time.**

**Uh.. short.. but I have no excuse..**

**Reviews****:**

**littleflower54276408: 1) correct! Petalkit is a mirage from the Dark Forest 2) not exactly 3) Maplestar is a good cat. She'd never kill anyone, no matter how long she was trained in the Dark Forest. She just doesn't know how evil Raggedtail is. After all, SkyClan wasn't around when he tried to kill Dovewing's kits. She had a life for justice and one for loyalty to which she knows to be right.. And all the others. :3**

**Feathersky1357: Good observation. Yep. Haha!**

**Blue Moonshine123: 1) nope it's not Petalkit. You might be able to guess who it is later 2) correct again 3) sort of. His mother's dead, but something else's up too. 4) read and find out! :]**

**Breezecloud: I wrote Ch. 3 at two in the morning. My brain was really foggy, sorry about that.**

**TessaxJames: ok, I'll try. Like I said, that wasn't a good time for me to be writing a chapter**

**Nightfrost: So you want a Flamepaw POV? I can see this chapter is off to a bad start.. Ok…**

**Snowfrost: Actually, I can. There is no law prohibiting the use of the name Flamepaw. Flamepaw's mother gave him that name, and for good reason too. Therefore, I can use the name "Flame-" for any cat I want. Why don't **_**you**_** look it up **

**and see?**

**What the heck did I do.. I meant that review for ANOTHER story.. oh shoot.. Now it's on the review page for my story.. dang**

**Anyone who doesn't want to wait for me to update while I'm fixing Ch. 1 by literally typing every single word on the word processor, read and review on this story called ****The Southern Clans: Claws of a Panther****. The author updates just as fast as I do when I'm not busy. It's a great story. You guys should read it! Oh and if the author sticks Raggedtail in the story as a Dark Forest cat, it's ok, I gave Raggedtail to the author to use. Thanks!**

**Nightfrost: I'll do it, but first Spottedleaf's POV. Ok now I'll shut up and let you guys read.**

"Okay, we're here," called Blackstar. Spottedpaw lifted her head ad peered down the slope. WindClan cats usually could be spotted easily, but today the moor seemed empty , quiet. She shivered as gusts of wind ruffled through her fur.

"Where are they?" Maplepaw's indistinct mutter came from beside her, and Spottedpaw lifted her muzzle as high as she could, tasting the air for any sign of WindClan.

"We'll catch up to them," she tried to reassure herself. _Unless we're too late._

"Heathertail!" Lionblaze's call brought her to her senses. The light brown tabby cat lifted her head.

"Lionblaze," she greeted him. Cinderheart pushed her way forward, her paws scuffing the ground.

"We're leaving the lake," she meowed. "To find a new place. The sickness is everywhere." Breezepelt stuck his muzzle forward.

"Since when did ThunderClan make decisions for WindClan, idiot?" he growled.

Spottedpaw narrowed her eyes. Was he crazy? WindClan must have had an outbreak of the sickness, if it was in every other Clan. RiverClan had come to tell ThunderClan they were leaving. Reedwhisker padded over to Breezepelt so that their muzzles where almost touching.

"RiverClan made its own decision to leave," he growled back. "If you want to die, then stay here. RiverClan have no need-"

"Last time I heard, it was the Clan leader who made the rules!" hissed a cat Spottedpaw knew well. _Ivypaw._

Breezepelt glared at the apprentice. "Okay, " he decided at last. "I'll tell Onestar." He jerked his head around and stormed over to where it looked like WindClan had made their camp.

"Onestar, some Clan cats want to talk to you," he growled in disgust. Heathertail lashed her tail.

"Leafpaw, get back here,' she mewed as the lithe WindClan she-cat padded timidly forward.

"Blackstar, Mistystar, Bramblestar," Onestar meowed. "Breezepelt tells me that you are leaving the lake now."

"Yes," Mistystar meowed, as her fur bristled. "If you don't want to come we'll leave right now."

Onestar glanced around wearily. His eyes scanned his camp. "Are any of you sick?"

"No, we are all healthy," Dovewing meowed. Onestar nodded slowly. "Good."

Breezepelt thrust his muzzle forward. "WindClan doesn't take orders from the other Clans," he protested. Onestar looked hard at him.

"I'm your Clan leader, Breezepelt," he snapped. "We're relying on our common sense, not the other Clans. If this was mouse-brained, I would have rejected their offer." He turned to the three Clan leaders. "WindClan accepts your offer," he meowed. "We will go with you on this journey. Breezepelt dug his claws into the ground, and his father beside him padded across the clearing to Leafpool. Spottedpaw noticed Nightcloud, who's claws were sheathing and unsheathing into the ground.

"I'll kill Leafpool, I'll kill her!" she spat. "She stole my mate from me and my kits' father from my kit!" Ivypaw's eyes narrowed thoughtfully and Spottedpaw felt a prickle of unease. She spotted Flamepaw and padded towards him. Suddenly Petalkit blocked her path.

"_You promised me!" _she snarled._ "Flamepaw is dangerous. He trains in the Dark Forest! You have to stay away from him!"_ Petalkit blocked her path.

Suddenly, Spottedpaw felt her legs buckle and slide out from underneath her, and everything went black. The last thing she saw was Mistypaw staring at her in horror.

**Spottedpaw's POV(but now she's knocked out):**

Spottedpaw blinked. Her paws were unsteady as she struggled to her paws. Frustration pricked her paws. "Petalkit!" she yowled.

The tortoiseshell she-cat padded toward her. "I summoned you here because I don't want you yowling at me while the other Clan cats are listening!" she meowed. Spottedpaw stared at her. Petalkit was acting weird. She had never done this before.

"Petalkit?" she meowed. "Are you from the Dark Forest?"

"Why would I be?" snapped Petalkit, her amber gaze darting around the quickly darkening clearing. Spottedpaw shifted her paws.

"Because when I asked you, you wouldn't tell me," she replied.

"I told you," Petalkit replied. Spottedpaw's paws suddenly slid out from underneath her. "Petalkit, what are you doing?!" she yowled as she stumbled to the ground.

Petalkit snickered and her gaze grew wild, "Why do you think you're here?" she hissed.

"Petalkit, get me out of here!" she yowled, flailing her paws.

**Mapleshade's POV:**

Maplepaw looked at Spottedpaw, who Mistypaw was nudging nervously. "Spottedpaw," she meowed. "Spottedpaw, wake up!" she mewed. Maplepaw noticed a ginger tom sitting beside her.

"She's okay," he meowed, nudging the ThunderClan apprentice. She's probably just faking it. The blue-gray she-cat whipped around.

"She wouldn't lie!" Mistypaw retorted. Flamepaw jumped back, his tail curving underneath his belly.

"Okay, okay! Sorry! But if she did it before, it should mean she's okay!" he meowed. Mistypaw shrugged. "Whatever, Flamepaw."

"She could have been summoned by StarClan," Maplepaw suggested. Flamepaw crossed the clearing.

"The Clans are leaving," he meowed. "We'd better leave her behind. Once she realizes we've left, she'll be on her paws in a moment." Maplepaw narrowed her eyes. "I'm staying with her. She's my sister," she meowed. Flamepaw shrugged. "Fine. We'll be at the Moonpool until dawn. Mistystar told me. If you don't show up by then- well, too bad. We're leaving."

Maplepaw shrugged. "Go then, it's not like we'll need you," she meowed, flicking her tail. Flamepaw shrugged and turned around, flicking his tail as he did so. His sister, Nightpaw, hurried over to join him.

Maplepaw nudged her sister. "Come on, you have to wake up," she whispered. "The Clans are leaving. I'm not leaving you behind."

Mistypaw sighed. "Flamepaw's probably right. She'll wake up when everyone's left her. Let's go."

Maplepaw unsheathed her claws. "I'm not leaving her." Mistypaw shrugged, then mewed, "Okay, then, I'll stay with you. Stonepaw!" she called to her brother. "I'm staying with Spottedpaw . Stonepaw narrowed his eyes. "Not alone, I hope?"

"No," she meowed. "Maplepaw's coming too." Stonepaw sighed. "It'd be better if you left with us. They'll have plenty of time to catch up."

"Okay, then," Mistypaw mewed. Stonepaw shrugged and padded over to her. "Sometimes, Mistypaw, you have no more sense than a newborn kit," he mewed. "There's no way I'm leaving you behind."

Maplepaw gave a sigh of relief and annoyance. They might be protected now that there were four of them, but still, now they would have to travel a long way if they stayed longer than after dawn.

**Spottedleaf's POV:**

A moment later, Spottedpaw was knocked to the ground as if a wind was coming up, but she couldn't feel any breeze. _Oh, StarClan! What will happen to me?_ She struggled to her paws, but Petalkit was gone. Her paws were unsteady and suddenly she felt unsafe, and she looked around nervously, hoping she was alone and that no other cat was here- if it wasn't a StarClan cat. And then, her gaze hit something. When it did, she wished it hadn't. Because when her gaze landed on the cat, she knew instinctively who he was.

He was the cat who had always stalked her in life, tried to kill her littermates, and murdered countless cats._ Raggedtail!_ She crouched down, hoping she hadn't been spotted.

Then, to her dismay, Raggedtail turned around. "Spottedpaw."

Spottedpaw didn't reply. _Maybe he'll miss me._ Paws shook her violently, and she turned around in terror, only to see Raggedtail's long-time apprentice Ivypaw, pinning her down to the ground.

"I got her, Raggedtail!" she meowed triumphantly. Spottedpaw pushed at her, trying to thrust her away, but the tabby she-cat kept her grip. "I'm not letting you go this time,' she growled in her ear. Raggedtail padded over to her.

"Not such a good fighter, now are you?" he mocked. Spottedpaw flicked her tail uneasily. She was done for now. There was no way she could win a fight against two highly skilled cats. Even if Raggedtail left her to battle with Ivypaw, she knew she could never win.

Spottedpaw was aware of her fur bushing in terror. The heartbeat Ivypaw left her guard down, Spottedpaw pushed her back and bit down hard on her paw, before she fled. She hurled herself into the brambles, not caring that the thorns ripped at her pelt. Thorns scratched her nose, but she ignored the stinging pain.

_How do I get out? _she wondered._ Wake up. Wake up!_ She blinked open her eyes frantically. Suddenly, paws shook her violently, and she turned around, hissing in fear, and lashed out at her attacker.

"Spottedpaw!"

Mistypaw's shocked mew brought her to her senses.Spottedpaw jumped to paws. All the cats were gone- except for Stonepaw, Maplepaw, and Mistypaw.

"Where is everyone?" she asked weakly. Mistypaw and Stonepaw exchanged a glance, then nodded.

"They left a while ago." It was Stonepaw who spoke, his eyes narrowed. "What's wrong?"

Spottedpaw shook her head. "Nothing, just a sign from StarClan," she lied. _If I told them I ended up in the Dark Forest they'd rip me to shreds._

Maplepaw narrowed her eyes. "What's with all the scratches?" she mewed. Spottedpaw panicked.

"I don't know," she answered, swallowing. "Do you think we should go find them?"

Maplepaw started laughing. "You think I'm going to stay here?" she meowed, nearly choking with laughter. "No way. We're leaving. And finding them."

"Okay, but first I need to check these wounds," she meowed. "Do you know where any cobweb is?"

"Oh yeah, under that log," Stonepaw meowed. "If you can squeeze underneath it- never mind, here," he meowed, pulling a wad of cobweb out from underneath a rock. Spottedpaw applied it to the scratches she had received.

"I'm good, we can leave now," she meowed.

"Are you sure?" Maplepaw asked. "You won't pass out?" Spottedpaw shook her head.

"I won't." _At least, I'll try not to!_ Maplepaw sat up. "Okay, then let's go," she meowed. "We can't afford to waste any more time." 

….. …. …... …

"Admit it. We're not going to find them," Stonepaw groaned as they trudged up the slope. "We can continue tomorrow."

"Like they'll be here tomorrow," Mistypaw shot back. Maplepaw bristled. "The scent's fresh here," she called. "We could catch up with them before they get anywhere."

Spottedpaw tensed. It sounded like her sister was trying to keep up a good mood, but it didn't look like it would last long. Mistypaw and Stonepaw were struggling to keep up. It was past sundown, and it didn't look like they would make it before they all got tired. Maplepaw was already tired. She didn't show it, but Spottedpaw could see that she was tired in the way she walked.

"Maplepaw, you're kidding," Mistypaw groaned. "There's no way we can make it. It's too dark, and we don't know this territory."

**For Nightfrost: Flamepaw's POV(Flashback):**

_Flamepaw curled up into a tight ball. The medicine cats would be sharing tongues with StarClan, and now they could learn where they could go._

"_Flamepaw, wake up." Nightpaw's voice echoed in his foggy mind. He batted at the air. "Go away," he mumbled. She gave him a hard shove. "We're leaving!"_

_Flamepaw shrugged and rolled over. It had barely been two moments before he had woken up to her voice. "Okay, tell them I'm coming.." He drifted back to sleep. The sounds of the cats getting up told him they were leaving, but he was too tired to care._

Flamepaw dug his claws into the ground. How could he have been so _stupid_? _Why didn't I get up when Nightpaw told me to?_ He was sure the four ThunderClan cats he'd left back at the WindClan camp had more sense than him.

He sniffed the air. The scent was still strong, but there was another scent too. Snow was on its way. He lashed his tail. It would be hard enough to find them in this snow, even if most of it had melted the day before. The Clans would be harder then ever to track now. Flamepaw shook his head. If the scent was fading, that meant he had to catch up fast or he would never find her.

"_Give up, kit. You'll never find them."_

"What?" Flamepaw gasped. Suddenly his paws buckled underneath him, and his mind went spinning into nothingness.

**Oh yeah, it's a cliffie! Answer the questions below after **_**typing**_** your review, please don't send it until you have :3 **

**Why would Raggedtail reveal his true identity of miraging Petalkit? Is Ivypaw still listening to what he says? Will Maplepaw, Spottedpaw, Mistypaw, and Stonepaw find the Clans or will they not make it? **

**What about Flamepaw? Do you guys think he deserved it(haha)? Will he find the Clans? What will happen to him?**

**The only way to get an answer is to review. You can do it as much as you want, because I'm not going to update any more chapters this week. I don't hate you, but I'll be fixing Chapter 1 and literally typing ever single word. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Okay, I'm back! That was quick. I can't believe I finished fixing ch.1 that fast. So yes, I am updating early.**

**I am not underlining the reviews. You'll have to find the answer to your review yourself(sorry… I find it tiring)**

**Reviews:**

**XSleetstormX: thanks for defending me! However if Snowfrost really thinks that chances are Snowfrost has never had an account haha**

**littleflower54276408: 1)The Clans thought Maplepaw, Stonepaw, Mistypaw, and Spottedpaw could catch up because they were going to wait for them until dawn, and as for Flamepaw, they thought he was coming. Don't ask me why 2) haha I might use your idea. Not in this chapter though. Flamepaw's a little too worried about himself to think about Spottedpaw right now 3) Maybe 4) yes for what? The Leaf x Crow moment or your ideas? (haha I can tell exactly what you're asking for, sure in this chapter)**

**Leopardstorm88: thanks for defending me against Snowfrost**

**Nightfrost: No he's just sad**

**RaggedtailHater1: What did I lie about? Haha I can totally read what you're saying **

**Don't you hate it when the author leaves the last chapter at a cliffhanger, then changes the POV to another character? That's why I'm going to do it to you. You'll be even more impatient now, haha**

**Ivypaw's (yes, Ivypaw who tried to kill Spottedpaw) POV:**

Ivypaw glanced around. _Nightcloud said she hates Leafpool. If she does, than this should work too, and I can do it to Dovewing when she has kits again, too._ Careful not to wake any cat, she crept over to where Leafpool and Crowfeather's kit was sleeping, and picked her up gently. The young kit started to mew loudly, so Ivypaw licked his head to let it know it was fine.

_You are going to die,_ she thought, padding to where WindClan was camped. Either Nightcloud or Breezepelt would be there, and she could finish her duty fast.

Ivypaw poked the first of the two she saw: Breezepelt. _He'll be of more use. He hates Leafpool more than Nightcloud does._

"Breezepelt!" she hissed. The WindClan deputy lifted his head and Ivypaw jerked her head toward the tiny river.

"What?" the WindClan deputy snapped, jumping to his paws. "What do you want? You're a ShadowClan cat!" he snarled.

"Follow me so we can talk without waking the others," replied Ivypaw. She led Breezepelt to the river. Breezepelt glared at her.

"You brought me to a river on a freezing night like this?" he hissed.

"Yes, of course!" Ivypaw snapped.

Breezepelt lifted his head up, and glanced at Ivypaw. "You stole Leafpool and Crowfeather's kit!" he hissed. Ivypaw nodded.

"What would I want to do with their stupid kit?" he growled. Ivypaw returned the glare.

"The kit," she hissed, jerking her head towards the river. Breezepelt shrugged.

"What about the river?" he spat.

"So we can get rid of this stupid kit once and for all," Ivypaw retorted. Breezepelt narrowed his eyes in disgust.

"So you're going to drown a helpless kit?" he snapped.

"Of course!"_ Does he hate Leafpool or not?_ Ivypaw flexed her paws in annoyance.

Breezepelt looked at the foaming water, than back at the kit. Then he made his reply. "No. I won't let you do it."

_What? Have you lost your mind? _Ivypaw snarled. "I thought you hated Leafpool!" she yelled at Breezepelt.

Breezepelt dug his claws into the ground. "I do! But I wouldn't do this to a kit."

Ivypaw glared at him. "Didn't you train in the Dark Forest once?" she spat. Breezepelt swiped his claws at her face.

"That's over. My loyalty is to WindClan now." Breezepelt took a step closer. "Leave now, or I'll tell every cat in the Clans what you were gone for, and if anything happens to that kit, I'll tell Blackstar that _you _killed him."

Ivypaw sniffed. "What are you going to do about it, then?" she sneered. Breezepelt hurled himself at Ivypaw. She dropped the kit and her eyes widened in surprise as he attacked her.

**Mapleshade's POV:**

Maplepaw stretched. It was still nighttime, but they needed to get a head-start if they were going to catch up to the Clans. "Wake up," she whispered to her sister and Stonepaw and Mistypaw. Mistypaw stretched, and Stonepaw beside her stumbled to his paws wearily.

"We're going? Already?" he mewed.

"If we want to catch up we have to get a good head start," Maplepaw replied.

Mistypaw yawned. "Can we catch something to eat first?" she mewed. Maplepaw hesitated.

"Can you wait?" she asked.

"No, I-" Mistypaw meowed and Stonepaw added, "No, I can't wait, I'm so hungry I could eat you. Mistypaw, do you want to come with me?"

"Sure," replied Mistypaw. "Anyone else?"

"I guess I'll come," Maplepaw mewed. Spottedpaw flicked her tail. "Then we'd all better come. I will too. Let's go hunting in the direction they went," she meowed.

"Good idea," meowed Maplepaw.

… …. ….. …

**Flamepaw's POV:**

Flamepaw cursed himself as he struggled to his paws. _Mouse-dung! What in StarClan's name was I thinking, doing a stupid thing like that? _He looked around at his surroundings.

"Flamepaw," a voice greeted him. Flamepaw unsheathed his claws nervously, ready to fight if needed.

"Sheathe your claws," ordered the cat. Flamepaw ignored the voice and kept his guard on. Something was wrong about this place, he just knew it.

"Look, mouse-brain," growled the tomcat's voice, "I'm not looking for an enemy to fight, but if you don't put those claws away, I'll rip you to shreds."

Flamepaw frowned. It seemed much better to stay safe than get ripped to shreds by a cat with more experience than him. He sheathed his claws. "Who are you?" he asked.

"I'm not here to inform you about my history, kit," growled the tomcat, stepping out from the bushes. Flamepaw took a step back.

"What, then?"

"I can help you. Do you want to find your Clan, and show them you're worth being a warrior?" Flamepaw shifted his paws. What for? He knew Mistystar wasn't making him a warrior because of the sickness, but he was sure he could find his Clan himself.

"No thanks," he answered. "I'm sure I can find the way to them myself."

"Are you sure? You could get lost and go in the wrong direction," the strange cat meowed.

"What do you mean?"

"What I said. If you accept my offer, you can become a warrior your Clan will regret suspecting as a traitor," the cat hissed.

Flamepaw shifted his paws. "But-"

"They know that you used to be in love with Spottedpaw," growled the tabby. "Tell me what you want. I can give you anything you want, if you make me one promise."

"Uhh, yeah, what's that?" Flamepaw asked nervously.

"Stay away from that ThunderClan she-cat."

"She's-"

"She betrayed you!" snarled the dark brown tabby. " She let you grow to trust her, and then when you were sure nothing could ever break the relationship between you, and then she hit you where it hurt most. Give her up."

"I.." Flamepaw hesitated. "I accept your offer."

**Please give me suggestions, critism and advice. Give me suggestions on what I should do for the next chapter( aside from what happens to Leafpool & Crowfeather's kit) and answer all the questions below for me, because I need answers.**

**Oh, and by the way, I won't be updating at all this month. I don't hate you, but I'll be reeeally busy. So please type up a good long review. Come on! It only takes a second to type a word!**

**A/N: What has Flamepaw gotten himself into? How could he pledge allegiance to a Dark Forest cat? Will he realize how evil the Dark Forest is? Can he find out before it's too late?**

**And what about Maplepaw, Spottedpaw, Mistypaw and Stonepaw? Will they ever find the Clans?**

**Will they all find the Clans? **


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: I know it's late. Sorry for the 2+ weeks you had to wait. This isn't even a good chapter; it's poorly written, and I have school work up to my ears(ok not really, but still…). Therefore, please excuse me for it. I'm sorry about it again.**

**Reviews:**

**Leopardstorm88: 1)I will try to write more longer chapters. I'm just really busy at the moment 2) Thank you for the ideas! 3) yep I'm going to set up a poll on my profile page**

**IrisFrostfeather: Haha you're right! Please don't hate me!**

**Feathersky1357: 1)I know, huh? I hope you like what I'm going to do to her. You know I'm always soft on kits 2) Spottedpaw doesn't know yet, but if she did, she certainly wouldn't like it, and she'd probably try to talk him out of training there**

**littleflower54276408: 1) Flamepaw doesn't even know who the cat he met is. Raggedtail didn't tell him his name(Flamepaw wouldn't be training with him if he knew who he was! Spottedpaw told him about Raggedtail, remember?) 2) they're in separate Clans still, but I might write a "what if" story about Leafpool and Crowfeather, and maybe some others. Each chapter will have a different story. You can PM me if you have any other questions 3) remember Mapleshade and Crookedstar? 4) I know. Maplepaw is Mapleshade**

**Icestorm1000: 1)wow you reviewed a lot! Thank you! 2) yep I know.**

**Snowy Wolf: I didn't either, but I didn't know what to do. I used your corrections, aside from Mintfrost. I did that cause there's already a warrior in RiverClan called Mintfur. And besides, this is a fanfic, not an Erin Hunter book that Erin Hunter has already published.**

**If you haven't read ****The Southern Clans, Claws of a Panther**** you should! The story's on my Favorite Stories list. **

**I also created a forum, so check it out! The link is on my profile. It has a * by it beside "forums".**

**Okay now I'll shut up and let you read:**

**Narrator's POV:**

Leafpool blinked and looked beside her. Instantly she shot to her paws.

"My kit! My kit is missing!"

…...

**Breezepelt's POV:**

"What are you going to do about it then?" Ivypaw sneered. Breezepelt unsheathed his claws and slammed into her. Her ice-blue eyes widened in shock as he slammed into her and she dropped the kit. Ivypaw dodged the blow. Her eyes glittered with hate and fury.

"Don't expect mercy from me!" she spat and clawed at his face. Her blow connected with brutal accuracy. As Breezepelt took a breath, she shoved him over and pushed his muzzle into the bank.

"Do it!" she snarled, digging her claws into his neck.

"Never!" Breezepelt gasped.

"Fine," she hissed. "Then I will." Her claws ripped at his cheek as she freed herself to grab the kit. Just as she did, a patrol appeared about a tree-length away. Relief flooded him, but Ivypaw's face was twisted with fury.

"It's now or never!" she yelled to herself. Breezepelt scrambled to his paws as she padded closer to the river. He turned to pull her away, but she had fled from him, and was now dangling the kit over the river.

"_No!"_ Leafpool's screech made him race over to the bank. A moment before he reached it, there was a splash, and Ivypaw's laugh echoed in his ears.

**Mapleshade's POV:**

Maplepaw took another step forward, careful not to disturb any prey nearby. _If I misplace one paw.._ She held her breath as she moved closer. _I__t has no idea I'm here. _Maplepaw took another step forward. She could see Mistypaw staring at her.

_Now! _She lunged forward. Her paws trapped it to the ground and she gave it a quick killing bite.

"Great catch!" Spottedpaw called to her. Maplepaw gave her a nod of thanks as she picked up the warm fresh-kill.

"I can't wait till we find the Clans," Mistypaw mumbled around her fresh-kill. Stonepaw nodded.

"Maybe if Spottedpaw hadn't passed out we wouldn't be here," he grumbled.

"I didn't do it on purpose!" Spottedpaw protested.

"At least we have a medicine cat with a good sense of humor," meowed Maplepaw. Mistypaw let out a purr of amusement.

"Let's get going the moment we finish, okay?" she mewed.

**Flamepaw's POV:**

The tom hissed with disgust. "Get up. If you're going to train with me weakness is the worst thing you can have. You don't want to be unable to defend yourself, like your mouse-brained mother."

"She wasn't mouse-brained-"

A paw slashed across his muzzle. "Don't argue with me, kit. Just do as I say. You'll last much longer that way."

The dark brown tabby tom slammed into Flamepaw's side. Flamepaw braced himself for the attack, but he regretted it when the tabby crashed into him.

"Don't try to brace yourself for the attack! If you can avoid me then avoid me!" snarled the tomcat. Flamepaw struggled to his paws, ignoring the stinging pain in his side.

"Let me try it again," he begged. The tabby tom hesitated.

"Just one more time. It's almost sunrise." He hurled himself at Flamepaw. This time Flamepaw ducked aside, but it didn't seem to bother the tomcat as he jerked to one side and crashed into Flamepaw's side, knocking all the breath out of him.

"How did you do that?" gasped Flamepaw. The tabby tom frowned. "You'll learn more in reality then you ever will with me."

"Can you train me every night?" Flamepaw asked. The dark tabby's eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

"It's been a while since I've had an apprentice.."

_Please! _Flamepaw begged silently.

"Can you make me one more promise?" the tabby mewed.

Flamepaw nodded. "Anything!"

"I can do more than train you," he meowed. "I can give you more power than you ever dreamed of. Power over your Clanmates. Power over _all _the Clans."

Flamepaw nodded."Of course!"

"Wait." The dark tabby unsheathed his claws. "You don't know what you're promising yet."

Flamepaw blinked.

"You must promise me," he lowered his voice, "that you will be loyal to your Clan above all things. What you want for yourself is nothing compared to the needs of your Clan. Nothing, remember?" His amber gaze bore into Flamepaw's. "Do you make that promise?"

Flamepaw nodded. "Yes!" He unsheathed his claws. "Yes, I do!"

**Breezepelt's POV: **

Breezepelt watched as Dovewing crashed into Ivypaw. Tawnypelt was watching in distress, as if everything in her kit she'd ever trusted in had disappeared..

_The kit!_ Breezepelt stared at the river. _Where is it?_ He took a deep breath and then flung himself into the freezing water.

"No! Breezepelt!" Nightcloud's shriek split the air as he hit the water. Ivypaw yowled with dismay.

Water swirled around him. It blocked his nose, and there was nothing he could hear but the rushing of the river. The kit's head bobbed above in the water, and he struggled to swim to the top. It obviously wasn't going to last long. He surged upward, and he could feel blackness threatening to cover his vision.

He burst to the surface, gasping. The kit was a few tail-lengths away. He pushed himself toward it and gripped its scruff with his teeth. He thrust his back paws frantically, aiming for the bank. Ivypaw tried to stop him, but Tawnypelt pounced on her, pinning her down. Breezepelt floundered around in the water. Frostpaw and Willowpaw stared at him with their eyes wide with alarm.

_Don't just stare, mouse-brains! _Breezepelt's paws hit the bottom. He scrambled out of the water and let the kit drop onto the bank. Heathertail raced over to him and began licking him frantically. Nightcloud was staring at him in relief. Leafpool raced over to the kit and began licking him to warm him up.

Tawnypelt was pinning Ivypaw down., her claws unsheathed. "I'm sorry you have to die like this, Ivypaw," she growled. Grief clouded her gaze. "But you were just too evil." She sunk her teeth into Ivypaw's neck. Her kit's eyes shot open wide with alarm as Tawnypelt bit her throat. Breezepelt couldn't help feeling relieved.

"It's all dark- there's nothing left-" Ivypaw gasped out before her eyes rolled back into her head.

Ivypaw was dead.

Leafpool turned from talking with Crowfeather to face Nightcloud. "We have finally decided to give this kit a name," she meowed. "He will be know as Breezekit, in honor of Breezepelt, who risked his life saving him."

"I'm-I'm sure he'd like that," Nightcloud meowed at last. Her next sentence was barely audible. "Thank you."

…... ... .. ...

**Flamepaw's POV:**

"Flamepaw!" Some cat was calling him. "Flamepaw, wake up!"

Flamepaw opened his eyes. A tabby was standing over him. _Rushpaw?_ "You followed me!" he hissed.

"Of course. You were following that stupid ThunderClan cat!"

"I just fell behind!" he snapped at his denmate. "It's none of your business, anyway." Rushpaw stuck his muzzle in Flamepaw's face.

"Actually, it _is_ my business!" Rushpaw snapped. "You're in love with a ThunderClan cat!"

"I am not! That's over!" Flamepaw snapped. His fur was hot with embarrassment. _That cat was right! How could I have been stupid enough to think my Clanmates didn't realize?_

"_With my help, you can make them regret ever thinking it."_ The strange cat hissed.

"Shut up,"Flamepaw mumbled.

"_You made your promise," _the tabby hissed back. _"And I'll make sure you keep it."_

… ….. ….. …

**Nightpaw's POV(A/N: weird, I know):**

Nightpaw pounced forward, but she was too late. The mouse disappeared into its burrow. "Frog dung!" she spat, lashing her tail. "I was really fast!"

"Speed isn't everything, when it comes to hunting mice," Reedwhisker told her. "The mouse had smelled, heard, and felt you before you jumped."

Nightpaw hissed. "How?"

"Your tail was lashing the ground before you pounced. You were panting like a badger with your breath stinking of fish."

Nightpaw scowled. "I have to breathe."

"Let me show you." Her mentor crouched down and drew himself forward, one pawstep at a time. Nightpaw's paws itched to rush forward and pounce, but she copied her mentor's movements all the same. "Breathe through your nose."

"Good." Reedwhisker sat up. "Next time, try that and see how it works." Nightpaw nodded.

"Okay," she sighed. _Why should I have to learn how to catch mice! We're RiverClan!_ Reedwhisker stared at her calmly, and Nightpaw's fur began to prickle with embarrassment. Suddenly her brother's mentor Graymist stomped into the clearing.

"Have you seen Flamepaw?" she meowed.

Nightpaw tipped her head to one side. All Graymist had to do was look in the small clearing where the Clans' apprentices slept. It shouldn't be too hard, though all the apprentices from every Clan slept together. Flamepaw was easy to spot with his ginger fur sticking out like it did.

Reedwhisker frowned. "You're his mentor," he reasoned. "You should know where he's at." Graymist let out a snort.

"_You _try keeping up with an apprentice who never does what he's told," growled Graymist. "He runs off every time I start a training session. To see that pretty medicine Spottedpaw, I'm sure." She sniffed. "How in StarClan's name am I supposed to train a cat when he's never here when he's supposed to?"

Reedwhisker frowned. "Did you check where the apprentices sleep?"

"Of course I did," Graymist snapped. "I wouldn't be here making a fuss for nothing if I hadn't."

Nightpaw shut her eyes. She could just remember what had happened this morning.

"_Flamepaw, wake up," she hissed. He batted the air, his paws barely sheathed. "Go away," he mumbled. She gave him a hard shove. "We're leaving!"_

_Flamepaw shrugged and rolled over. "Okay, tell them I'm coming.." He closed his eyes. Nightpaw guessed he would wake when he heard the others getting up._

Nightpaw dug her claws into the ground. _Really, Nightpaw?_ she thought in dismay. Thoughts whirled around inside her head like leaves in a windstorm.

_I thought he was coming-_

_I was wrong-_

_He'll never find us in this snow now that its deeper-_

_What was I thinking?_

Reedwhisker nudged her. "Nightpaw?" he mewed cautiously. "Nightpaw!" Nightpaw jumped.

"You surprised me!" she meowed. Reedwhisker snorted. "What? A warrior doesn't daydream." Nightpaw nodded. Again she had to be reminded.

"Sorry," she mumbled. "I wasn't thinking."

"I can tell that you weren't!" he meowed. Nightpaw shifted her paws. "Do you think it's possible he got left behind? Or maybe he ran away.. Graymist told him StarClan would lead us to our new home and he said StarClan is too mouse-brained to lead us into a pit. She made him serve the elders after that."

Reedwhisker nodded slowly. "It's possible.. but he has to find us on his own, Nightpaw. We can't afford to lose any more time to lose a reckless apprentice."

Nightpaw nodded, but her paws felt unsteady. Just as she began to reply, Hollowflight interrupted them.

"Reedwhisker, where's Rushpaw?"

"Wherever you sent him," snapped Reedwhisker. "It's not my job to watch everyone's apprentices."

Hollowflight bristled. "But you're the _deputy_. Can't you-" Reedwhisker shook his head.

"Hollowflight, if you can't keep track of him then maybe you're too young to have an apprentice. Don't forget I was your mentor, Hollowflight."

Hollowflight flicked his tail. "It's not like that- he didn't sleep where the apprentices sleep all night- his nest was cold. And Nightpaw, Reedpaw, Jaypaw, Thistlepaw, and Salmonpaw said they hadn't seen him all night. I thought he went out for a little hunt, but he hasn't returned," he finished. Nightpaw stared at him. Did Hollowflight have bees in his brain?

Reedwhisker laid his tail on his former apprentice's shoulder. "It's possible he went with Flamepaw," he meowed. "He'll be safer with Flamepaw then alone."

Hollowflight opened his mouth to object, then he closed it. "I hope you're right," he meowed.

"StarClan will guide them home," meowed Reedwhisker. "Don't forget, Feathertail, Stormfur, Tawnypelt, Crowfeather, Brambleclaw, and Squirrelflight took a journey to the sun-drown-place, and StarClan guided them back safely."

"Feathertail didn't," meowed Nightpaw without thinking. Reedwhisker gave her a stern look.

"Feathertail died saving the Tribe," he meowed. "She is in StarClan now."

"I hope Flamepaw makes it," she mewed.

"Trust StarClan to guide him home," Reedwhisker meowed. "Our ancestors have always been willing to guide us, even in the darkest moments."

Nightpaw nodded, but the words felt empty. _Is Flamepaw right to doubt StarClan? Have our ancestors really turned their backs on us?_

…. …. …. …. .. . .. . . . .. ….. …. … …

Nightpaw curled up in the apprentices' sleeping place. Thistlepaw kicked her.

"Stop fidgeting," he grumbled.

"I can't sleep," she confessed. Thistlepaw got up and padded over to her.

"Missing Flamepaw?" he meowed. Nightpaw looked at her paws. "I can manage it," she meowed. He shrugged. "Okay," he meowed, and curled up.

Nightpaw's unhappiness kept her up, but finally the warmth from her nest dragged her into sleep.

**A/N: Flamepaw's still sort of in love with Spottedpaw. He doesn't let it show, but he still has feelings for her.**

**Did you guys like the Nightpaw(aka Flamepaw's sister) POV? **

**Please give me advice on what should happen next with Spottedpaw, Maplepaw, Mistypaw, and Stonepaw because I am really out of ideas for them.**

**A/N: UH OH! Flamepaw's begun his actual training with Raggedtail! He also made a promise to him! Should Raggedtail reveal himself to Flamepaw? Should a StarClan cat warn him? I'm making a poll; please vote on it(not the current one)**

**Review so you can find out who killed Flamepaw's mother and why Ivypaw went insane a chapter back. Give me suggestions, answers to these questions, critism, and advice.**

**36-41 reviews before I post the next chapter! Haha thanks!**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Thank you so much for all the reviews! I'm writing this at exactly 10:13p.m., so please don't kill me**

**Blue Moonshine123: Thank you!**

**littleflower54276408: 1) It'll take a while though LOL 2) They had a kit in the first chapter, in the beginning of this story 3) sure! 4) yep, but than again there are loads of tabbies like him in the Dark Forest.**

**Leopardstorm88: 1) good idea 2) an OC: Sedgeclaw**

**Icestorm1000: 1) I saw that mistake! Thank you for telling me 2) yep, both of my mistakes have been fixed :] 3) Haha 4) thanks for the ideas! 5) Good observation**

**RaggedtailHater1:haha again**

**FlamepawSucks:1) uh, you haven't reviewed at all in the past so how would I know? 2) Okay good, then you'll like this chapter 3) good idea 4) Haha obviously he wasn't! *XD* 5) yeah he does suck at times but his character **_**is**_** interesting to write 6)on my profile page, where else? Haha 7) good observation 8) yep! And another**

**Well, well, well, **_**what **_**have we got here? It's a Raggedtail lover! Haha**

**RaggedtailLuver1: No thank you **

**Nightfrost: 1) what? 2) I never suggested any relationship between them 3) I'm updating now! Luckily you don't have to wait long haha**

**RaggedtailYou: I don't blame you! Haha **

**I haven't seen Silverpaw in a while. What happened to her? Well we'll read and find out**

**Flamepaw's POV:**

Flamepaw stretched. Rushpaw stood beside him, his hackles raised as if facing an enemy.

"Why, Flamepaw, I was just about to leave you to your friend Spottedpaw," he sneered. Flamepaw's ears flattened to his head, but he kept walking. His den mate was probably trying to get him to attack.

"You love Spottedpaw. Silverdust told me before she died.. Saving _you_! What a waste of time!"

The words disturbed a memory that Flamepaw had buried so deep he had hoped that no cat could disturb it again.

_Spottedpaw flicked her tail. "I'm just collecting herbs." She dipped her head politely. Flamepaw bristled. "You're really close to WindClan territory!"_

"_So are you"- she looked closer at him. "Actually, you're trespassing in their territory!" Her amber eyes widened. "What's up with that?"_

_He bristled. "I wanted to see what you were up to."_

_The tortoiseshell flicked her tail. "It's none of your business! It's fine that you helped fight off Raggedtail, but now you're acting like this is your territory! If you don't back off right now, I'll report you to my Clan leader."_

_Flamepaw scoffed. "Like you'd do a thing like that!" She narrowed her eyes as she nipped the coltsfoot of the stems._

"_Like I will!" she hissed. Flamepaw tipped his head to one side. _

"_What's coltsfoot for?" he meowed innocently. She turned her amber gaze on him; it was glimmering with embarrassment. _

"_For shortness of breath," she replied automatically. He glanced at her. "I wish you'd join RiverClan. We could be together more often." _

_The two apprentices jumped at each other and rolled over, completely forgetting the consequences of being there._

"Daydreaming?" his den mate jeered. "I guess so. About Spottedpaw." He smirked. "And probably about your mother too. Don't worry. If you don't make it back home, you'll see her in StarClan."

Flamepaw bristled. "Why don't you shut up?" he growled.

"Oh well, she deserved the death anyway. She was idiotic, just like you," Rushpaw hissed. Flamepaw dug his claws into the ground. Was his stupid den mate trying to do this on purpose? He padded along ahead, hissing in annoyance. The stink of his mentor entered his nose.

"_Why didn't you attack him?"_

"He's my Clanmate! I couldn't! You made me promise to be loyal to my Clan above all things. That includes my anger, doesn't it?"

"_Of course. I was just testing you. Now get moving!" _His mentor jabbed his claws into his side. Flamepaw hurried along ahead, wishing he could claw Rushpaw's ears off.

"You seem to have a fresh scar every day," he jeered. Flamepaw hissed at him.

"Shut your stupid mouth! I'm trying to get back on the trail, why don't you just help me?" he growled irritably.

"A few cats!" Rushpaw yowled. Flamepaw ignored him Rushpaw fled in front of him. Flamepaw chased after him.

"What you scared of?" he mewed.

"A cat- loner, rogue, whatever, its coming for you," Rushpaw meowed and fled as a weight landed on Flamepaw's back. Flamepaw kicked his back paws and unsheathed his claws. Beside him, Rushpaw tussled with a she-cat. Images flashed in his mind- cats invading the RiverClan camp, Silverdust's death-.

_She deserved it,_ he thought frantically. She had been worse than Rushpaw. She deserved to die. Scrabbling with his front paws, he managed to thrust the she-cat away from him. She tumbled for the river. Flamepaw chased her down to the bank. She didn't attack, just stared up at him, and memories flashed past him.

"What's your name?" he asked her when he finally managed to pin her down to the ground. She snarled back at him, and he heard a mew from the she-cat who had Rushpaw. Flamepaw had to admit she was a good fighter, for a loner.

"That's North- she's my friend!" screeched a third cat from across the clearing.

"North, Jackal- come back here! I gave no orders to fight!" a white she-cat called.

"And who are you to speak for us, Salainen? You're not our leader," smirked a brown-black tom. The she-cat hissed and Rushpaw and Flamepaw took the chance to flee.

…... … … … . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . .. .. . . . . . . . . . .

**Nightpaw's POV:**

Nightpaw sighed and rose to her paws. Thistlepaw and Salmonpaw, Jaypaw, and Reedpaw had gotten up ages ago, so she had been told by Reedwhisker, so she had no time to eat. Now she wished she had gotten up earlier; she was going to have to go through a whole day without food. She remembered the loss of her sister, Marshpaw.. But then she still had Flamepaw.

_What was he thinking, taking Spottedpaw as a friend like he did? It was really dumb. At least he's finished with her now. _Nightpaw scrambled to her nest and followed the Clans as they trooped through the woods.

All the Clans had begun the journey. The journey of the Clans had only just begun.

**A/N: I know it's short, but it'll do, being at 11:18p.m. Please give me ideas, criticism, and advice. Suggestions too. Lots of them.**

**50-55 reviews before I post the next chapter! Haha thanks! :] **


	8. Chapter 8

**I'm really tired ^.^ But it's ok! I like this story out of all my other ones(aside from my first one) Flamepaw must have bees in his brain if he let Rushpaw off that easily! He definitely wouldn't have done it before! What has Raggedtail done to him?**

**Leopardstorm88: LOL I am doing that in my crossover "Warriors: The Games of Darkness" I don't wanna do it in here!**

**littleflower54276408: 1) Silverdust is Rushpaw's sister 2) in a way. She hated him because she thought she liked him till he told her he didn't care about her, which was just before she died fighting off Raggedtail from the RiverClan camp 3) Ok, read and review when I'm done LOL **

**Guest: Lucky for you I updated! Haha **

**Dovewing: 1) I'm not going to get into it here, but it explains everything in Chapter 6 of my other story, called Dovewing's Choice 2) haha you did! 3)Yep! And another! Haha 4) Breezepelt and Nightcloud are my favorite WindClan characters. I like it too**

_**ALSO**_**: Attention to the moderators of my forum! You can create new topics on my forum too! You don't have to wait for me to create one! Make one yourselves! Just make sure the forum goes accordingly to the site rules for the forum, which are displayed below my forum! I made another topic, too. Pleas ejoin! I could always use some more members, so please please join!**

_**ALSO**_**: There's this author who has a forum, just like I do! Her name is Nightspirit (aka The Spirit That Comes at Night, which is her Tribe name)and she has a forum too! It's really good! You should join! Thanks**

**Ok now I'll shut up and let you read ^.^**

**Silverpaw's POV:**

Silverpaw sighed. The RiverClan apprentice Nightpaw stood beside her. Silverpaw couldn't see the look on her face, but she knew from the way the apprentice stood next to her that she was grieving.

_Oh, StarClan,_ Silverpaw mewed silently, _why did they have to be left behind?_

Nightpaw's whiskers quivered and Silverpaw felt her whiskers brush against her flank. "Are you missing your littermate. littermates too?" Nightpaw meowed slowly. "I miss Flamepaw." Silverpaw glanced back, narrowing her eyes.

"If you must know, yes I miss Spottedpaw and Maplepaw, but it's not like it'll do anything. They're gone, aren't they?" Silverpaw meowed. Even as she spoke the words, her mind screamed at her that what she was saying wasn't true. _They'll find us in the end. I have to believe it._ Nightpaw's fur bristled against Silverpaw's and pulled away.

"You don't understand!" she snarled. "I've lost a littermate already! You've only lost one at birth! You don't know how it feels! Reedpaw died when we were still apprentices!" She stormed away towards the moving Clans.

Silverpaw shifted her paws, embarrassed and ashamed. It wasn't Nightpaw's fault that Spottedpaw and Maplepaw had wandered off. She was right. Silverpaw only had one idea of the torture Reedpaw had suffered before death. Blinded, perhaps.. Silverpaw padded onward, after the Clans, using her nose to lead the way.

**A/N: I'm bored.., what should I do?) Maplestar's short POV:**

"Maplestar." Maplestar opened her eyes, her pelt bristling. It was surprisingly not a SkyClan cat.

"What? Where's Raggedtail?"

The blue-gray she-cat shook her head. "Maplestar, what you are doing with that tom is wrong, and you need to stop."

"What?" she meowed, though she didn't need to ask what the she-cat meant, their training sessions.

"He will lure you to the Dark Forest, where evil cats go. He has no heart. He does not care for you or your Clan."

The cat's words brought a chill down Maplestar's spine. "How do I stop?"

"The answer is simple: don't let him come to you. If he does, tell him you no longer wish to train with him. "

"Who are you?"

"I am Bluestar," came the reply. And then she was gone.

**Flamepaw's POV:**

Flamepaw curled up, ignoring Rushpaw's sneering as he went to sleep, waiting to train with his mentor.

"Looking for your mentor?"

A new voice sounded, and Flamepaw whipped around, unsheathing his claws, ready to fight if he needed to.

"It's just me. Ivypaw." A dark tabby she-cat stepped out of the shadows, and Flamepaw scented the air.

"You.. died?" he asked. His tail curved under his belly as he looked at her. Her ice-blue eyes narrowed.

"You still don't like me, do you?" she sniffed.

Flamepaw wrinkled his nose. "You think I'd fall in love with a ShadowClan cat?" he asked.

Her claws slid out. "There's nothing wrong with being ShadowClan! Your mentor was ShadowClan!" she spat, taking a step forward.

"Of course, only there's one problem, don't you see?" Flamepaw meowed. "I'm _RiverClan_. And you're dead." Ivypaw hissed.

"So? It doesn't mean we can't be friends-"

Flamepaw cut her off. "Look, Ivypaw, I promised I'd be loyal to my Clan above all else. And besides, I don't even like you." She spat at him.

"Well, Flame_kit_, your mentor is waiting for you in the clearing," she mewed silkily. Flamepaw jumped at her.

"Don't you dare call me kit!" Flamepaw snarled. "I'm more than strong enough to defeat you!" He swiped at her face with claws extended. She rolled to the side with her eyes blazing with anger.

"Shut up," she hissed. "You're not great enough to die and come here.., yet." Her blue eyes sparked mockingly. "Besides, you haven't even trained here long enough to defeat me even. You certainly can't defeat my former mentor."

Flamepaw shrugged. "Well, I could beat you using the moves I've been taught by Graymist. You wouldn't stand a chance."

Her claws swiped at his face. "You dare underestimate my strength?" she snarled, spraying blood as her claws ripped down his cheek. "I am perfectly strong enough to defeat you!" Flamepaw glared at her.

"Well if you're so strong then why don't you do it here and now?" he snarled. Her eyes blazed with anger.

"I would if I could, but unfortunately for me, you're not my apprentice," she spat back. Flamepaw's muscles tensed but he stopped himself as he smelled the familiar scent of his mentor enter the clearing.

"Hello," the dark tabby purred. "So glad that you decided to join us after all, Ivypaw." The dark tabby she-cat dipped her head. "I only came because you know I'm not done with my training. Seems like you found a new apprentice though."

The tabby snorted. "Come then. It's time you started your training again." She jerked her scarred head back at Flamepaw.

"What about _him_?" she mewed. Flamepaw stiffened. Surely his mentor wouldn't leave him so he could train with this stupid minnow-brained flea-bag.

The dark brown tabby tom sniffed. "You can help me demonstrate to him," he meowed. Her ice-blue eyes widened in panic.

"I can't do that! I'll be turned into crowfood, and you know it! Don't be pigeon-brained!" Ivypaw shrieked.

"Don't be soft, Ivypaw," he growled. "That's not what I trained you for."

"I wasn't soft!" Ivypaw scoffed. "Did you see what I did to that cat before I died?" The dark brown tom snorted.

"Yes, blind ignorance. Kits like you always think they know it all," he replied, narrowing his eyes.

"You did it too," she responded darkly. His ears flicked.

"I lived longer," he told her. Flamepaw shrugged and padded after them. "Can I come?' he asked.

His mentor narrowed his amber eyes for a heartbeat, then nodded. "Of course. Ivypaw and I will demonstrate." He flashed Ivypaw a menacing grin as he padded over to the riverbank. She shrugged helplessly and padded after him. Flamepaw hurried ahead, confused.

_Why are we going to the river? I know water training already!_ He shrugged and followed Ivypaw and his mentor to the bank.

…. .. …. .. .. .. .. . .. . .. . .. . . . . .. .. . .. . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .. .. .. . . . . . . . .. . . . … . .. .

"Flamepaw," meowed his mentor, "I would like to introduce you to some cats here." Flamepaw nodded, confused. He might as well sleep if he were going to learn about other cats. Ivypaw rolled her eyes.

"Have you any idea how stupid you are," she groaned. Flamepaw's mentor whipped around Flamepaw's tail curved underneath his belly nervously as the tabby struck a blow to Ivypaw's face with claws extended.

"You might have met them before Ivypaw, but my new apprentice hasn't!" he spat. Ivypaw nodded, her muzzle wet with blood. Flamepaw winced. His mentor was really heartless.

"Meet Thistleclaw, Shredtail, Hawkheart, Snowtuft, Silverhawk, Darkstripe, Maggottail, and Clawface. There are many more of us, but too many for me to show you tonight."

"Mapleshade is in the living world." Silverhawk grimaced. "She doesn't know what she's doing."

"Who, then?" Flamepaw wondered.

"It doesn't matter," growled Hawkheart. "Does he know why he's here?" he asked the dark brown tabby who mentored Flamepaw.

His mentor nodded. "He knows he has to prove he's not in love with any other Clan cats They would soften him. He's going to make them regret ever doubting him."

Hawkheart curled his lip. "I suppose he has no idea who you are?" he growled. Flamepaw's mentor unsheathed his claws.

"He knows me," he meowed. "I will make him into a warrior his Clan will regret doubting." Flamepaw glanced at Ivypaw. Her face was expressionless; obviously she didn't care about anything they were talking about.

"Are we going to train, or not?" she complained. Flamepaw sniffed as Silverhawk whipped around to face the young apprentice.

"What did your former mentor tell you?" he snarled. "Don't talk till you're spoken to. We were talking about something completely different. However," he glanced up at the dark brown tabby tom, "it's not my place to punish you. You aren't even a warrior yet." The she-cat's muzzle peeled back into a snarl.

"I am the equal of any of you here. I earned my place here," she snarled. Her former mentor whipped around. "if you want a fight right now, you can have one!" He launched himself at the tabby she-cat, who barely had time to brace herself for the attack before the massive dark brown tabby tom crashed into her. She tried using her weight against him; Flamepaw remembered the time he had done it himself; surely if Ivypaw had trained with the dark tabby tom she would know not to brace herself for the attack. The dark brown tabby tom raked his claws across the dark tabby she-cat's face and slammed her to the ground. She stumbled to her paws and glared at him as if she were daring him to embarrass her in front of the other cats. He returned her mocking glare before slamming her to the ground once more. Ivypaw wiped her face before striking a blow to his nose.

Flamepaw gaped. He had thought that the battles he and the tom fought were brutal, but his mentor and Ivypaw shed blood as though it were nothing. Finally the dark tabby thrust her into the river and she bobbed in the water before thrusting her nose above the surface. The dark brown tom's muzzle peeled back to reveal a menacing grin.

"There, you still have much to learn," he growled. Flamepaw couldn't help laughing at the look on her face. She shot him an angry look as she struggled to the riverbank.

"You're next, Flamepaw," his mentor growled. "You'll be fighting Hawkheart. I odn't want you to fight someone who'll go easy on you."

**Spottedleaf's POV:**

Night had finally arrived, and the four had been forced to settle down for a sleep, not knowing what danger might await them. Spottedpaw closed her eyes.

_I'm sorry for passing out,_ she wailed silently. _StarClan, what are you trying to tell me?_

Pain and wariness kept her awake for a while, but the warmth of Maplepaw's body and the other two apprentices finally dragged her to sleep.

"Spottedpaw," a voice woke her from her dreams. She straightened up, confused and scared at the same time, unsure of whether she might end up in the Dark Forest. Unsure relief swamped her as she recognized the pelt of her sister- Petalkit.

"Well done, Spottedpaw. Your relationship with Flamepaw is destroyed!" Spottedpaw looked up to see the shape and pelt of her sister.

"Petalkit," she greeted her warily. "What do you want now?" Petalkit's eyes narrowed. "I've come to tell you that you've done the right thing.. for me." Spottedpaw suppressed a shudder.

"You mean Flamepaw?" she echoed. Petalkit's response was scornful.

"Of course," she meowed. "You do know he's dangerous.. I told you, remember?"

Spottedpaw remembered perfectly.. the pain.. The fury directed at her from Flamepaw.. Her own pain from his refusal to see why.. "Yes, I remember," she mewed.

"Well, it's good that you obeyed me," Petalkit smirked. "He doesn't really care for you anymore-"

"Only because you told me -" The tortoiseshell curled her lip, and her image started to blur.

"It's because I've been training him, you stupid idiot!" she snarled. As she said the words, her voice grew different and more like a different cat.

Spottedpaw felt the ground tip beneath her paws. "Who are you? Petalkit?" She unsheathed her claws.

"He he.. you don't remember me? How insulting…" Only after a heartbeat, her image changed completely. Spottedpaw's mind whirled as the cat morphed into a massive dark brown tabby tom. His pelt was striped with scars and his face had scratch-marks over it. "I'm Raggedtail!"

Memories flashed through her mind- tragedies too, but Spottedpaw struggled to overcome them. "You!" she hissed. "You were doing that to Flamepaw! You made my sister blind! You-"

"Save the complimentary part, Spotted_kit_. My part's almost complete! I just have to finish it!" Raggedtail hissed.

"It was all you! You were impersonalizing Petalkit!" Spottedpaw snarled.

"Oh joy," Raggedtail meowed boredly. "You just found out. You just forgot one little detail." Spottedpaw felt the ground tip beneath her paws as he threw a menacing glance over Spottedpaw. "Cats don't age in StarClan. I was only able to mirage her in apprentice age!"

Spottedpaw lunged at him, but he had already begun to fade, and she realized she had just made the biggest mistake of her life. _Oh, StarClan, why couldn't you have told me?_

**A/N: 55-58 reviews before I post the next chapter! Haha thanks  
**


	9. Chapter 9

**I'm surprised I got 64 reviews.. That's why I'm updating now(even though the computer's huffing and puffing at the moment.)! Anyway! Here's the answers to all the reviews:**

**Feathersky1357: **You're right! Lucky for you I'm updating now! Haha

**FlamepawSucks: **I'm sorry..? Flamepaw is a real idiot. Just wait till the next chapter happens!

**littleflower54276408: **1) You're right it's a bit confusing 2) hmm. .I don't want to reveal too much here, but PM me and I'll clear it up 3) Cause Raggedtail wants revenge. Flamepaw was an easy target because he doesn't believe in StarClan anymore.

**ILikeRushpaw**: 1)Oh you do like Rushpaw, do you? Well maybe I'll have you see out of his POV then 2) You're right! 3) He never thought Flamepaw was his own kit haha I can totally read what you're trying to say! Spottedpaw4) hmm, dunno; he was the one who messed everything up in the first place

**The Song of The Felines: **1) It's okay! Sometimes I find out there's a new update in my inbox but my mother makes me wait till the next day! 2) Thank you so much! 3) Lucky you I updated! Haha

**Dawnflame: **1)sounds like him, don't ya think? 2) I know!

**NO FLAMEPAW NO W: **Haha obviously he wasn't!

**Breezewind:** You're right! Raggedtail is supposed to be the most evil character ever made(as well as heartless)

**Flames:** Thanks!

**Guest: **Maybe, maybe not! You'll see! Mwahahaha!

**A/N: School's been giving me writer's block. Please give suggestions.**

_**ALSO**_**: If you haven't read the story "The Storm In the Fire" by littleflower54276408, you should! She is in my story favorites for you to see :)**

_**ALSO**_**: If you haven't signed up on my forum, please do! The link is in my bio! The forum has a star a beside it! Thanks, I would really appreciate it ^_^**

**Rushpaw's POV(A/N: I never said I liked Rushpaw!):**

The young tabby apprentice stumbled to his paws as his minnow-brained denmate kicked, fidgeting, in his sleep. Rushpaw sighed. Did his denmate ever do anything besides being stupid and fighting in his sleep?

He prodded the ginger tom in the side. "Wake up, you minnow-brain," he hissed. The ginger tom's paws flailed wildly as Rushpaw's claws poked him in the side.

"Hey!" Flamepaw opened his eyes. Rushpaw blinked in surprise. His muzzle seemed to gain a new scratch every day. "What have you been up to? Fighting badgers in your sleep?" he guessed. Flamepaw shrugged.

"It's none of your business," he snapped.

"Like you being with Spottedpaw was none of my business too," Rushpaw sneered. Flamepaw's ears twitched.

"Why don't you keep your mouth shut?" he hissed. Rushpaw narrowed his eyes and stared at the ginger tom's eyes, which were clouding with a memory only Flamepaw could see.

"Why in StarClan's name didn't Mistystar punish you for meeting her is beyond me," Rushpaw meowed. Flamepaw jerked around.

"Our noble ancestors don't care, or they would have struck us dead or sent a sign to stop us," Flamepaw smirked. Rushpaw stared at him, feeling the fur on his neck prickle.

_What does Flamepaw mean? Has he lost his respect for StarClan?_ "Like Spottedpaw means anything to you," he hissed. "I can tell by your face they sent a sign to her, or you, to stop meeting." _StarClan, help me,_ he thought silently.

"Like they'd send one to me," Flamepaw retorted. "They hardly care about me." Rushpaw bristled.

"Then why were you clawing the air in your sleep?" he demanded. "Why were your claws unsheathed at all?"

"What do you mean," Flamepaw meowed, trying to act like he knew nothing at all and failing.

Rushpaw snorted. "You were fighting someone, who?" he growled menacingly.

Flamepaw opened his mouth to reply, then stopped as he sniffed the air, his ears pricked. Rushpaw sunk his claws into the ground, why in StarClan's name was his denmate so stupid?

"I must have had a bad dream," the ginger tom mumbled. "Why do you care?"

Rushpaw snorted. "Because if anything happened to you, the Clan will blame me. They told me to find you," he lied. He knew that was a lie. The Clan had probably noticed his disappearance by now, he realized. "And you wake up with a fresh scar on your muzzle every day," he added. At least that part was true.

Flamepaw shrugged. "I suppose that's why you came to find me, not because you were worried about me chasing after Spottedpaw," he taunted. Rushpaw shrugged.

"I don't have time for you, it's dawn, let's get going," he growled harshly. Flamepaw twitched his ears innocently and padded after Rushpaw.

… … ….. …

**Mapleshade's POV:**

Maplepaw prodded her sister in the side. Spottedpaw's fur was prickling uneasily, and she was twitching too.

"Spottedpaw," she whispered, but stopped, because Spottedpaw had relaxed again.

"Petalkit?" she mewed in her sleep. Maplepaw tipped her head to one side. If her sister was visiting a StarClan cat, there was no need to wake her. Curling up into a ball, she fell asleep.

… .. . ... .. . . . . . . .. . . . .. . . . . … . .. . ….. …

**Nightpaw's POV:**

Nightpaw stormed in beside her mentor, her ears flat to her head. Silverpaw had no business telling her that that her brother was dead! She'd already lost Reedpaw! Nightpaw shrugged and jerked her head up at the call of her mentor.

"Are you okay?" he asked. Nightpaw nodded. "I'm just missing Flamepaw."

"Our warrior ancestors will lead him home," Reedwhisker mewed.

Nightpaw purred with amusement as she remembered the way Flamepaw always mocked their warrior ancestors, saying that they had no power over the Clans. She took it that Flamepaw must have thought, since Sedgeclaw died, that StarClan just existed as dead cats who could do nothing but make fun of the Clans.

Maybe he was right. "I'm fine now," she purred.

**Flamepaw's POV **_**Flashback:**_

_Flamepaw froze as Rushpaw narrowed his eyes and stared hard at him. "You were fighting someone, who?" growled the tabby threateningly._

_Flamepaw opened his mouth to respond, then shut it as his mentor's stink entered his nose._

"Don't tell him about me, kit! He could stop our training sessions when he gets the chance to talk to his medicine cat! She could report me to your ancestors!"

"_I must have had a bad dream," he mumbled instead. "Why do you care?"_

… … .. . …. .. . . . . .. . . . . . . . . … . . . . . .. . . .. . . .. .. . . .. . . . .. . . . . . .. . . .. . .. .

Flamepaw sighed. Why was it so hard to get memories out of his head? Maybe Spottedpaw was having them too.. He sighed. Was being loyal to his Clan really so important that he had to sacrifice all the things he liked? _My mentor didn't care about Ivypaw._ The realization made him freeze. _Why? She's dead! How come my mentor didn't care about _her _getting close to me?_ He grimaced; too late he realized that Rushpaw had seen the look on his face.

"What, Flamepaw?" he growled. Flamepaw deliberately ignored him and padded forward.

"That's right, Flamepaw, run away," Rushpaw spat. "Don't forget I'm older than you."

"And don't you forget that I didn't ask you to come with me," Flamepaw snapped back. Rushpaw flinched, then shrugged.

"I suppose because of that you know more than me," he sneered. "If you know so much, why don't you fight me?"

"Because I don't want to," mewed Flamepaw.

"You're a coward," taunted Rushpaw. Flamepaw ignored him and scented the air. Four ThunderClan cats.. had he found the trail?

…...

Paws launched into his side as he struggled to the top of the hill. "Maplepaw!" yowled a gray apprentice. "I think I found a few fishy RiverClan cats!" A ginger-and-white she-cat hurried over.

"Did he attack you?" she asked.

"We didn't attack anyone," Rushpaw meowed. "This idiot thought we were, apparently." He glared defiantly at the gray-blue she-cat.. Flamepaw remembered her from when he had first gotten lost.

"Mistypaw," he remembered. She looked up. "Flamepaw," she greeted him coolly. "I hope you learned to care about your Clanmates and friends?" His shoulders tensed. She was referring to when Spottedpaw had broken their relationship and passed out.

… . .. . .. .. … . .. . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . … . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . ..

"Spottedpaw," he meowed, padding over to the tortoiseshell.

"How was it like?" she mewed. "Being without me?"

"It's better," he teased. "You scare away all the best prey." Her eyes were wide, but not with suspicion, far from it.. could it be .. fear? _What did I do, Spottedpaw? _

x xxx x xxxxX

Flamepaw sighed as he woke in the forest where he trained. He wanted to sleep all night for once.

"Mouse-brain!" hissed the tabby tom. "What did you think you were doing with that she-cat?"

"This is for finding them, isn't it?" he meowed with a sinking feeling.

"No, you mouse-brained idiot! I've _seen _you!" His mentor swiped at him viciously with claws extended.

"Seen me what?" He didn't have to ask what his mentor meant, Spottedpaw.

Claws raked his muzzle as the tabby struck him again. "With the she-cat you promised me to keep away from!" he snarled. "What did I ask you to do the second time you promised?"

"To put my Clan above everything," Flamepaw meowed.

The dark brown tom tackled him to the ground. "I asked you to put your Clan before _everything_! That includes any feelings you might have for that pathetic ball of fur you've been mooning over!" His breath billowed in Flamepaw's face. "Not to mention you promised you'd stay away from her in the first place!" Flamepaw raked his claws across the massive tabby's face.

"Have you ever done it?"

"Of course I have, you stupid idiot! I fell in love with Dovewing. I know what it feels like," he snarled; lucky for the tomcat Flamepaw didn't seem to recognize him.

"What happened?"

"I joined the Clan for her and she fell in love with another tom," he snarled. "She softened me, too," he snarled.

Flamepaw started. "What-"

"What did I tell you when we first started our training?" hissed his mentor. "I told you not to question me, and to stay away from that she-cat who betrayed you."

Flamepaw blinked. Why was he so mean? There was nothing wrong with having Spottedpaw as a friend! Confused, he turned and fled.

"Flamepaw. You're back," hissed Ivypaw. "I never did get to combat you yesterday." She grinned. "I don't suppose we could have one just now, could you? Probably not. You're too scared I'll beat you!"

"What's stopping you, then?" Flamepaw retorted. He realized he hadn't intended to say it- but it seemed she was determined to humiliate him. "Nothing, except you're not my apprentice," Ivypaw replied.

"Yeah, big surprise. You're still an apprentice," Flamepaw spat back. Her blue eyes blazed with anger.

"Not here, not here I'm not," she snarled. "I'm a warrior now." She snorted with laughter. "If you lived here, you'd know!" she spat.

"If you're a warrior, you'll fight me," Flamepaw spat back. "Do you even have a warrior name?" She bristled, and unsheathed her claws. "I'll ask permission to fight you, and you'll be sorry you asked!"

"You didn't answer me," Flamepaw hissed. "Why should I care?"

She let out a snarl of frustration. "Alright, I lied! Happy you've been proved right?" She threw herself at him, her eyes blazing with determination. "I'll make sure you regret teasing me-"

"Ivypaw!" It was Flamepaw's mentor. "What are you doing?" She backed away nervously.

"Uhh, nothing?" she mewed uncertainly, backing away. "I mean, talking," she chuckled nervously as the tabby padded closer.

"About what?" growled the massive dark brown tabby tom. "Fighting each other?" Flamepaw quickly backed off, while Ivypaw began to fidget.

"You're not still angry because I reminded you of your promise, are you?" purred his mentor. "Maybe I was a little harsh, but I was afraid you had forgotten your promise. Spottedpaw is a sweet and pretty cat and I'm not surprised you're fond of her. But the sweetest traps are often the most dangerous. She will soften you and sway you from your path." His voice sharpened. "You still want to be a great warrior, don't you?"

"Yes," mumbled Flamepaw.

"Good," growled his mentor, sounding more like his old aggressive self again. He flicked his tail at Flamepaw. "Everything I do, Flamepaw, I do with your interests at heart."

**A/N: Haha! Cliffhanger! Sorry, especially because I (might) not be able to update this week. It's really nice to know you're still reviewing after all that. Oh well**

**A/N: Is Flamepaw insane? Has he lost his mind? How long till they find all the Clans? Will all of them make it? The only way to get these questions answered is to review! So please! REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!(you can even type your review under the guest thingie after you post your review on the logged-in feature) Come on! It only takes a second to type a word! :P**

**Let's get me to 68-74 reviews before I post the next chapter! Haha thanks**


	10. Chapter 10

** to the reviews(Thank you to Feathersky1357)**

**Feathersky1357: **Wow you reviewed a lot as a guest! This really means a lot to me! That's why I'm updating now! Flamepaw's going to find out in this chapter who's training him(Raggedtail). I'm sorry for leaving it as a cliffy. I would've written more, but my mom was forcing me to sleep. Well, I'm updating now! I had no idea that you would post so many reviews! :D

**FlamepawSucks: **1) Haha sorry, but the next chapter gets rid of the cliffie 2) not particularly. Raggedtail's the crazy head 0_0 3) nah I'm doing it late in this chapter. I'm sorry it's so short 4) Huh? Oh wait, you mean Flamepaw's not going to make it.. ^_^ Maybe, maybe not. You'll see. Mwahahaha!

**Hollyberry: **1)Haha thanks for the cat 2) No you won't.

**CrazyRaggedtail: **haha I will do a little of his POV in the next chapter! The rest's not, just the beginning. I really don't care for him much. Just to add suspense to my stories

**Raggedtail-Sucks: **Haha I sure can/will next week Friday

**littleflower54276408: **1) Haha thanks! You just made my decision a lot easier 2) yeah I think so :] 3) LOL you'll see

**You must read this note below in case you haven't read The Spirit That Comes At Night's stories (either **_**The Messenger**_** or **_**one of the Southern Clan **_**books in the series).**

_**IMPORTANT NOTE**_**: The Spirit That Comes At Night created the Messengers of StarClan in her story **_**The Messenger**__**,**_** she gave me permission to use my character as a "Messenger" in my stories. **

_**ALSO**_**: **_**The Messenger**_** gives some information about the Messengers of StarClan, so if you don't understand, just read it! There are 4 chapters so far!**

**Well, on with the story!**

The dark brown tabby flicked his tail at the ginger apprentice. "This is Flamepaw," he meowed. Darkstripe stared hard at him for a moment and Hawkheart narrowed his eyes.

"Well then," he drawled, "Are you going to show us what this new cat is made of?"

Flamepaw watched as his mentor stepped back after beckoning to Ivypaw. "Fight," he growled. Ivypaw spat defiance at Flamepaw. He returned her gaze.

"I _am_ going to beat you," she growled.

"Like you can," he smirked. The dark brown tabby flicked his tail. Flamepaw shifted his paws and tucked his tail beneath him. Ivypaw lunged for it, a moment too late.

"You hid your tail!" she spat. "That's not fair! No cat hides their tail!" Ivypaw lunged again, this time colliding head-on. Ivypaw seized his scruff and began to drag him to the other end of the riverbank. Flamepaw went limp and she staggered with the dead-weight. The two apprentices wrestled together on the riverbank. Her eyes were wild with determination, then they sparked with something that only she remembered. Lunging for his scruff, she sank her teeth into his scruff and waded into the river.

_This isn't water! It's too slimy!_ Flamepaw thrust his paws upward, while Ivypaw took a breath and ducked underwater. Flamepaw realized a heartbeat too late what she was trying to do as he fell beneath the surface. Through the dark murky water, he saw her swimming for the top.

_You snake-heart! _Flamepaw forced himself to follow her, to do the same thing. A moment later she let out a yelp of surprise as she vanished from view. Flamepaw struggled toward the riverbank. A few heartbeats after he got out of the water, Ivypaw resurfaced and slammed her front paws onto the bank.

"Though I expected better of _you_, Ivypaw," meowed the dark brown tabby as Flamepaw and Ivypaw padded toward the other cats. "I would have expected _you_ to hold out your own against an untrained apprentice." Ivypaw curled her lip back into a snarl as she joined the other cats.

"Good, you can go now," grunted the tabby. Flamepaw nodded as the cats began to fade.

…. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"What's this?" Flamepaw blinked open his eyes to see Rushpaw leaning over him. He groaned as he staggered to his paws. "Go away, Rushpaw," he hissed. His denmate smirked.

"I'd better go tell your beloved medicine cat," he meowed. "She'll be terribly worried if you let it get infected." Flamepaw unsheathed his claws and took a swipe at him.

"If you tell her I'll rip you to shreds," Flamepaw meowed. His denmate shrugged. "Like that'll do any good for your scratches. I'm a better fighter anyway."

"That's what you always say," Flamepaw snapped. "I must've got them from a thorn."

"Yeah, a thorn," mewed Rushpaw smugly before padding off, his tail flicking. "I bet you fought someone."

A few heartbeats later, Spottedpaw padded slowly over to him. Her eyes widened in alarm as she spotted him. Flamepaw figured Rushpaw's point had been to embarrass him.

"What is it?" he mewed, figuring she knew already, Rushpaw probably had told her that Flamepaw had been fighting badgers all night. "I'm fine, Rushpaw just wanted your attention," he mumbled. She glanced at his side and shook her head. "No, you're not," she meowed. "He's right. These are deep."

"Why can't Rushpaw mind his own business?" Flamepaw growled. She looked back at him nervously.

"I just wanted to tend to them, if you want we can go into that rock crevice," she meowed, gesturing to the crevice in the rock. He shrugged.

"Yeah, let's go," he meowed and followed her over to the den. As soon as they entered, Spottedpaw spat something out and began to rub it onto his scratches.

"I know you didn't get them from a thorn," she meowed. Flamepaw bristled. "I bet you were watching me all night too," he mumbled.

Spottedpaw sighed. "I'm sorry," she mewed. "If you don't want to forgive me, it's fine, I understand."

"Like you know what it feels like to be rejected just because of a stupid omen," Flamepaw grumbled. Her breath stirred his ear fur.

"It's not what you think," she whispered. Her mew scared Flamepaw in the way she said it. "Who, then?"

"If I tell you, you won't claw my ears off like you did Rushpaw's? Not for the sake of the code, but for us both?" Flamepaw shrugged.

"Like I care," he huffed. "StarClan has to get involved with everything we do! I'm tired of them! StarClan this, StarClan that. I'm sick of StarClan!" She backed away, leaving the half-done pulp on Flamepaw's scratch.

"It wasn't about them, I just thought she was! I didn't know he could do it!" she wailed. Her distress interested Flamepaw.

"What are you talking about?' he asked. She turned her frightened gaze on him.

"It wasn't StarClan who told me," she finally mewed. "It was-"

"Who cares? StarClan probably wanted to have a good laugh at us, or they would've done something," he smirked.

"Are you going to listen, or not?" mewed Spottedpaw with a growl in her mew. Flamepaw nodded uncertainly, sheathing his claws. "It was Raggedtail who did it."

"Raggedtail? You listened to him?"

"Shut up Flamepaw, it's not like you haven't," she snarled. "He disguised himself as my dead littermate, and told me you were dangerous!" Spottedpaw hissed. "And I don't know, maybe he's partly right, but it's his fault!"

"Dangerous?" Flamepaw mewed. "I'm not dangerous."

"Some Dark Forest cat's been training you in his dreams!" she hissed. "Teaching you stuff. I don't know what, but it's not good, whatever it is! I don't even know who!"

Flamepaw stared at her. The things that had happened so far were beginning to click in his head. When he had fought Ivypaw, the fights had been so brutal he had been sure at times that she had been trying to kill him. And the fights between the tabby tom were even more so. His amber eyes widened as he realized the mistake.

"Is it him?" Spottedpaw mewed. Flamepaw shook himself out of the memories.

"I, I, nothing!" he lied, glancing outside. It was midnight. "I think I have to go to sleep," he mewed, backing away. "Spottedpaw, I'm sorry!" he yowled as he fled from the den.

Curling up, hoping for it, wanting it, he fell asleep and woke in the Dark Forest. Fury pulsed under his pelt as he realized that Raggedtail had lied to him to get his way. Flamepaw padded over to where Raggedtail was sitting. "Liar!" he yowled at the top of his lungs. The dark brown tabby tom was sitting a fox-length away from him with a blank expression on his face.

Raggedtail shoved his paws deep into Flamepaw's chest. "I did not lie to you about anything!" Raggedtail snarled as he swiped at Flamepaw's muzzle with claws extended.

Flamepaw ducked the tabby's blow just in time. "Spottedpaw said you miraged her sister to keep us away from each other!"

"So? I didn't lie to her. I just told her you were dangerous," shrugged Raggedtail.

Flamepaw stiffened as the dark brown tabby tom's muzzle peeled back to reveal a menacing grin. "What's so funny about it?' he snarled.

The dark brown tabby took a pace back and laughed hysterically. "What do you think happened to Sedgeclaw? Or why Spottedpaw acted so heartless toward you?"

"What?" hissed Flamepaw. "What did you do to Sedgeclaw?"

"Stop acting like a helpless kit, Flamepaw! I needed someway to influence you to join me in the Dark Forest and train in my paw steps!" Raggedtail snarled, lashing his tail. "It wasn't the sickness that killed her, it was me! I told her if she didn't eat deathberries I would kill you and Nightpaw, as well as her stupid mate. I guess you could say I forced her.. as for Spottedpaw, I miraged her sister and told her you were dangerous. She believed me and broke the relationship"

"I don't care what you taught me! The promise I made to you means nothing!" Flamepaw hissed.

Raggedtail shoved his muzzle closer to Flamepaw's face. "Oh, but it does. And even if you think it doesn't I'll make sure you keep to your word."

Flamepaw stared at the tabby tom. "You don't care about anything, do you?" he asked, feeling a pit in his stomach.

"Everything I cared about is gone." Raggedtail hissed. "What's more, if you so much as move a whisker out of place, I'll murder any cat you ever cared about, starting with Spottedpaw."

**95-100 reviews before I post the next chapter(Friday)  
**


	11. Chapter 11

**DISCLAIMER:I do not own Warriors, Erin Hunter does; however, the plot and OC belong to me.**

**Well, it's early. It's short. I'm sorry, but this is cause next week I won't be able to** **update**** at all.**

**Feathersky1357:** You're right! Raggedtail is supposed to be the most heartless character ever. As well as crazy.

**Leopardstorm88:** Thank you so much!

**littleflower54276408: **Haha great! You'll see :)

**Sandfur74 and RaggedtailSucks**: Haha I sure did a little POV in this chapter!

**Yeah, also about that.., in case anyone has some thoughts that I lied, let them know that all I ever said about Sedgeclaw dying was that she died ****_during_**** the sickness. I'm not saying any of you thought that, it's just to clear up any doubt.**

**I used a Messenger of StarClan in this chapter; but the idea is my friend Nightspirit's!**

**Enjoy chapter 11!**

_Paws crunched as a dark brown tabby tom turned to face the other two cats. "The kit knows what I've done. He'll be even more reluctant to come to training," he growled as he lashed his tail against the slimy ground._

_Ivypaw hesitantly held his gaze with her ice-blue eyes. "What if he refuses to do as you say, Raggedtail?" she asked._

_Raggedtail snapped his gaze back to his younger sister. "Then I'll kill Spottedpaw and all those close to him."_

_The last cat,Darkstripe was sitting with his tail over his spoke up again._

_"Maybe it would be better if you killed his denmate and let him take the blame," she mewed at last._

_"Good thinking," Raggedtail growled to his former apprentice. "Don't you have a suggestion, Darkstripe?"_

_The gray-and-black tom shook his head before he panicked and fled the clearing. Ivypaw's fur was bristling uncomfortably, and she moved backward a little. Raggedtail glared at the cat as she entered the white fog that came with her seemed to chase the darkness from the forest. The dark brown tom unsheathed his claws. _

_"Hawkspirit!How dare you show your stinking muzzle here?" he snarled at the black she-cat. _

_"You can be sure I wouldn't, if I didn't have a job to do," she returned. "Besides, you don't smell much better yourself."_

_Raggedtail shifted his paws. "What do you want?" he snapped. "There's nothing here for you." She met his gaze._

_"You leave that tom you threatened last night alone," she meowed plainly, but her mouth remained closed shut._

_Raggedtail took a threatening step forward. "Or what? You and your spirit friends will come kill me?"_

_Hawkspirit blinked. "You seem very eager to have a fight," she meowed slowly. Ivypaw tucked her tail underneath her belly. Raggedtail bristled._

_"Not with you," he hissed. "I can have one later. With that tom." He grinned at the last words._

_"Leave that tom alone, Raggedtail," she warned slowly as she backed out from the forest."_

_Raggedtail watched as the she-cat left, then turned to Ivypaw. "Are you scared?" he hissed as his tail flicked back and forth._

_The dark tabby she-cat straightened up. "Me, scared? Of a little spirit?" she scoffed. "I stayed put, didn't I? It appears Darkstripe is weak and fears the great spirit," she sneered as her fur bristled._

_Raggedtail stared at his apprentice with his muzzle in a snarl. "Dovewing will fear me once more, once I have taken out all of her kin."_

...

Flamepaw staggered to his paws. Raggedtail hadn't trained him that night. Maybe he had left the idea of revenge._  
_

But he knew he was just hoping. Raggedtail would never give up on something that easily.

He stretched and padded over to the place where the apprentices slept, trying to look as if he had slept well all night. Which he hadn't. The others were still there. Maybe everything was okay after all.

"Flamepaw." The ginger tom whirled around.

"We could talk," Rushpaw mewed. "Away from everyone else. We could settle this." Flamepaw searched his denmate's face for signs of mocking. It was blank.

"Okay," he meowed at last. "Let's go."

**Spottedpaw's POV:**

Spottedpaw opened her eyes. Nothing had disturbed her sleep.

Then why did she have the feeling that something was wrong? Flamepaw wasn't still training in the Dark Forest, was he?

There was only one way to find out. She would have to ask him. _Will he tell me or will he reject me?_

She peeked into the bush where they were sleeping. Flamepaw was gone,as was Rushpaw. Both of them were gone.

Spottedpaw could sense trouble now. What had they wanted with each other? Rushpaw hated Flamepaw as much as the ginger tom hated his denmate. She sniffed the ground again. There was anger as well as fear. But they couldn't have gone much farther without a fight, judging by the thickness of anger in their scent.

"Spottedpaw?" Maplepaw poked her head through the bush. "What are you doing?"

"Looking for Flamepaw and Rushpaw." She sighed. She should have known her sister would follow her. "You could check on Stonepaw and Mistypaw.

"No need." Maplepaw cocked her head. "They're asleep."

Spottedpaw sighed. "You could check again," she mewed. "You never know." Maplepaw shook her head. "They're fine. There's nothing dangerous. And why do you think I want to sit there and be bored to death while you go and do somerging exciting?"

Spottedpaw shook her head reluctantly. "You can come." The ginger-and-white she-cat blinked.

"I'm just curious.., why are we following Flamepaw and Rushpaw?"

"Because," Spottedpaw mewed simply. "And if you don't want to come you dont have to." Maplepaw hesitated.

"No, I'm coming with you. Besides, if you bump into trouble I can help." Spottedpaw shrugged.

"Suit yourself. Come on . We're-"

A yowl interrupted them. The two apprentices scrambled around the bush and up the hill.

"They're fighting!" hissed Maplepaw. Spottedpaw winced. Had the two mouse-brains even thought about the wounds they would inflict?

Obviously not They both looked pretty beat up. Spottedpaw couldn't watch the two fight and do nothing.

"Stop it!" she screeched. The two apprentices broke up.

"This is all your fault!" Flamepaw snarled at his denmate. "This never would've happened if you'd kept your mouth shut."

"Well if you hadn't come we wouldn't be here now would we?" Rushpaw sneered. "You're weak. And stupid too. You never realized the way I wanted to settle this was fighting."

"I'm not weak!" snarled Flamepaw. "I totally beat you!"

"Almost," sneered Rushpaw. Spottedpaw took a step forward. Flamepaw didn't meet her gaze; instead looked the other way.

"Let's go," hissed Maplepaw. "We really need to catch up. If their wounds get infected it's their fault. They should have thought about it before."

Spottedpaw sighed. Her sister was right. The two RiverClan apprentices were mouse-brained to think she had herbs to use on them. "Let's go,'' she mewed. Flamepaw stormed after his denmate.

"Maplepaw, you take Rushpaw. I need to talk to him," she meowed. Her sister narrowed her eyes a moment before replying. "Okay."

Flamepaw's eyes widened in alarm and the ginger tom shook his head quickly, "No thanks Spottedpaw, you can take Rushpaw. I'll go with Maplepaw."

The tortoiseshell she-cat grimaced. "No," she meowed firmly. " Maplepaw can take. Rushpaw. I'm not going to hurt you." Flamepaw shook his head, but she ignored him.

...

"Flamepaw," she meowed once they had gone, "are you training in the Dark Forest still?" He looked around nervously.

"I can't tell you that," he mumbled. "Sorry. Secret." She winced.

"Please tell me," she begged. " I need to know."

"I can't!" he snapped. "I'm sorry!"

Spottedpaw bristled. "Why so secret? You used to tell me if I asked," she hissed._ StarClan, help me! I need to know! _

"And you did too, I told you last night!" he meowed,looking around. "I have to go now!"

Spottedpaw froze. _Why had he been so secretive? And why did he seem so scared?_

...

Spottedpaw bounded after the five other cats. The early hunt had exhausted her and she could tell both Flamepaw and Rushpaw were beginning to suffer from their wounds. Nervousness pricked her pads. If they didn't find burdock root soon, she could tell the wounds would get infected.

She deliberately chose Rushpaw to ask her question to instead. "Are your scratches all right?"

"They are not all right,thanks to Flamepaw," he retorted sharply.

"I think we should rest," Mistypaw mewed. "It's getting dark. I don't want us to be out after dark."

"I guess you have a point," Spottedpaw mewed. _Why did the relationship between me and Flamepaw have to break?_ she wondered painfully as she stared at the ginger tom. He was avoiding her gaze. Either he was training in the Dark Forest still or Raggedtail had sworn him to secrecy.

**Flamepaw's POV:**

The ginger tom raked his paws over the dead leaves, fear had kept him awake most of the night but sleepiness had won him over in the end. How long until Raggedtail came?

_I should never have made that promise to him!_

A black she-cat with white paws and a faint white fog following her entered.

"Flamepaw," she meowed;but her mouth remained closed shut, Flamepaw backed away.

"Don't be afraid, young one. I am here as a warning," she mewed as he took a step back.

"What for?" Flamepaw knew the answer even as he asked the question,his training sessions. His paws ached and his scratches were starting to sting. The she-cat narrowed her blue eyes.

"You know," she meowed. "Don't come to the training sessions. He will find your weakness eventually and grow stronger."

"He already knows my weakness, I'm a pathetic lump of kit fur," Flamepaw muttered. He could tell the visitor wasn't a StarClan warrior, but she wasn't a Dark Forest warrior either. "Why do I bother?"

"If he gets stronger, he will cross over," she meowed plainly.

"He can't!" Flamepaw mewed.

"He will, if you give him the strength to do so," the she-cat mewed.

"Who are you?" His voice squeaked like a kit's and he struggled to maintain it.

"I am known by a Tribe name as well as Clan," she meowed, "however to you and the Clans I am Hawkspirit." Flamepaw nodded.

"What are you trying to tell me?"

She stopped pacing the clearing, and met his gaze. His mind seemed to freeze as her blue gaze met his.

"He will cross into Clan territory. He will get his revenge on the cats he hates so much." She stared at him for a long time before turning and leaving him in the clearing with his thoughts.

**A/N: Flamepaw is really in a pickle, isn't he? He's going to catch something... but what? **

**A/N: I sadly won't be updating for a looooooooong time. Sorry, but I need to get studying. I am stressed with all the math and shtuff. So, which do you prefer, slower updates or no updates at all? I pick slower! **

**But I will update as much as I can. So keep reviewing guys! And tell me what YOU thought. Make your review nice an long, because I won't be updating for weeks. But don't worry,I'm still here!**

**100-109 reviews **


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